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WNBA Playoffs Set ESPN Record as Aces’ Sweep Delivers No. 2 Finals Audience

Methodology changes complicate comparisons ahead of a move to split rights next season.

Overview

  • ESPN reported its most-watched WNBA postseason, averaging 1.2 million viewers across 24 games, up 5% from 2024.
  • The four-game Finals averaged 1.5 million viewers, ranking second-highest on ESPN since 2003 and slightly below last year’s 1.6 million.
  • Game 1 drew 1.9 million viewers, while Games 2–4 ranged from roughly 1.2 to 1.4 million, with Game 2 lower as it faced NFL competition.
  • Las Vegas swept Phoenix in four games to win the title, and A’ja Wilson was named Finals MVP.
  • Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel and expanded out-of-home measurement tend to lift reported totals, and next season’s coverage will shift to split rights across ESPN, Amazon/Prime Video, and NBCUniversal/Versant.