WNBA Finals Game 5 sees most viewers of century to cap historic season

The 2024 WNBA season was a historical 1 connected galore levels, and its ending pinch Game 5 successful nan WNBA Finals betwixt nan champion New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx was nan cherry connected apical successful position of viewership. 

This overtime thriller, wherever nan New York Liberty took down nan Lynx, 67-62, to seizure nan franchise’s first-ever title, was nan most-viewed WNBA Finals crippled successful 25 years crossed each networks, according to ESPN, which cited Nielsen data. 

The game, which aired connected ESPN, topped retired astatine 3.3 cardinal viewers and was nan fourth-most viewed WNBA Finals crippled ever crossed each networks ever. 

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New York Liberty guardant Jonquel Jones (35) holds up nan MVP trophy aft defeating nan Minnesota Lynx successful overtime to triumph nan 2024 WNBA Finals astatine Barclays Center. (Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images)

This year’s WNBA Finals arsenic a full saw a 115% summation successful viewership compared to past year’s series. 

It’s nary concealed nan WNBA saw a monolithic jump successful viewership this twelvemonth successful ample portion owed to nan incoming rookie people headlined by Indiana Fever apical prime Caitlin Clark, Chicago Sky ascendant guardant Angel Reese and overmuch more.

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Clark, nan WNBA’s Rookie of nan Year, drew galore viewers successful her 2 playoff games pinch nan Fever against nan Connecticut Sun. The first crippled recorded 1.84 cardinal viewers, while Game 2 saw different grounds assemblage of 2.54 cardinal viewers. 

The Fever mislaid some games to nan Sun, but considering they were competing pinch an NFL Sunday — conscionable arsenic nan Liberty and Lynx were successful Game 5 of nan Finals — shows conscionable really entertaining this play has been. 

These Finals were besides competing pinch Game 6 of nan NLCS, wherever nan Los Angeles Dodgers defeated nan New York Mets to punch their summons into nan World Series.

New York Liberty guardant Breanna Stewart (30) looks to station up against Minnesota Lynx guardant Napheesa Collier (24) successful nan 4th fourth during crippled 5 of nan 2024 WNBA Finals astatine Barclays Center. (Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images)

The Finals featured nan 2 apical playoff seeds successful nan star-studded No. 1 Liberty, led by WNBA perennial All-Stars Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones. The No. 2 Lynx, led by Napheesa Collier, gave New York a tally successful their ain building earlier yet moving retired of state astatine Barclays Center successful overtime. 

The WNBA’s accrued viewership, arsenic good arsenic its attendance for games and engagement connected societal media and elsewhere, has been awesome to watch. 

And it’s only expected to proceed its dependable trajectory upward, arsenic a caller media authorities deal, which was negotiated arsenic portion of nan NBA’s ain deal, is worthy $2.2 cardinal complete 11 seasons. 

New York Liberty defender Sabrina Ionescu (20) celebrates aft defeating nan Minnesota Lynx successful overtime to triumph nan 2024 WNBA Finals astatine Barclays Center. (Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images)

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The convention will besides beryllium expanding pinch caller teams popping up, pinch nan Golden State Valkyries group to statesman their inaugural play successful 2025. Toronto, which will beryllium nan WNBA’s first squad extracurricular nan United States, and Portland are besides group for caller teams arsenic well. 

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