WNBA All-Star Game shatters viewership records as league skyrockets in popularity

The GIST: This year’s WNBA All-Star Weekend (ASW) became an epicenter for women’s basketball culture like never before, and it was more than just brands (and celebs) showing up at the marquee event. As expected, fans tuned in on TV, which sponsors anticipated and prepped for with numerous ASW activations. The circle of life.

📺 The All-Star Game (ASG) showdown in Phoenix on Saturday drew 3.44M viewers, a new record for the event. That’s 305% more viewers than last year’s game and 139% more viewers than the previous ASG viewership record of 1.44M from 2003. It was also the most-watched WNBA event ever on any ESPN network, and the third most-watched W game in history.

• In 2003, fans were tuning in to see legends like Sue Bird and Sheryl Swoopes take on Teresa Weatherspoon and Dawn Staley on ABC. This year, fans were able to tune in on ABC or stream on Fubo, with streamers being key in W viewership numbers— the WNBA App has already seen exponential YoY growth this season. Dialed in.

👀 Tension on the Team WNBA side may have driven viewership. Star players like Arike Ogunbowale (pronounced ah-REE-kay oh-goon-bow-WAH-lay) and Caitlin Clark — both of whom were considered Olympic roster “snubs” — proved that the WNBA standouts could hold their own by beating the Olympic squad set to represent the U.S. in Paris next week.

• Not to mention the fact that Angel Reese, who has been fostering a budding rivalry with Clark, played alongside her on Team WNBA, which understandably drew interest.

🤩 Welcome to the WNBA’s new normal. Before this season, WNBA games hadn’t surpassed the 1M average game viewership mark in 16 years, per Front Office Sports. This year, W broadcasts have broken the 1M mark 17 (!!!) times, with Clark featuring in 15 of those games.

• So it’s no wonder the league is inking partnerships halfway through the season with WNBA newbies like New Balance and Bumble. The W is getting bigger, and so is its young, diverse audience, one that brands are hoping to target. No more step backs.