The WNBA saw record-breaking TV ratings on its opening weekend, which featured the Phenix Mercury at the Los Angeles Sparks, a game that celebrated the return of all-star center Brittney Griner after she spent 10 months in Russia prisons on trumped-up drug charges.
The game generated 683,000 average viewers on ESPN with a peak of 1 million viewers, making it the most-viewed WNBA regular season game on cable in 24 years.
ABC’s telecast of the Las Vegas Aces and Seattle Storm game the following day averaged 589,000 viewers.
Opening weekend also drew a record 30 million video views for the league’s social media accounts.
It was the most-viewed WNBA opening weekend on all networks in 11 years.
The numbers are about on par with or exceed television viewership for National Hockey League Games and Major League Soccer games.