Overview

• WNBA Communications said Game 1 averaged 1.9 million viewers and peaked at 2.5 million, marking the most-watched Finals Game 1 in 28 years.
• Las Vegas edged Phoenix 89–86, with A’ja Wilson posting 21 points and 10 rebounds in a game that featured 12 lead changes.
• Only the 1997 championship, played as a single-game final, drew a larger audience for a WNBA title game opener.
• The postseason is averaging 1.2 million viewers, up 16% year over year, and ESPN’s WNBA Countdown averaged 626,000 viewers, up 78%.
• The ratings arrive as the WNBPA negotiates a new CBA before an Oct. 31 deadline, with players publicly pressing for higher compensation.