WNBA regular-season viewership reaches 26-year high under new multi-network TV deals
The WNBA averaged 771,000 viewers per game during the 2026 regular season, a 17 percent increase over the prior season and the league's highest regular-season average since 2000, according to Sports Business Journal data. A total of 51 games drew more than one million viewers this season, compared to just 19 games the previous year, and nine games surpassed two million viewers. NBC led all six national television partners with an average of 1.75 million viewers across seven games, followed by ABC at 1.56 million and CBS at 1.28 million across an expanded 20-game package. Cable and streaming partners USA Sports, Ion, and Prime Video rounded out the distribution slate, with Prime Video reporting Nielsen measurements for WNBA games for the first time this season.
In total, 51 WNBA games reached an audience of over one million viewers this season, up from just 19 games last season.
Why it matters
For brands: Expanded audiences on broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms increase the reach and potential return on WNBA sponsorship investments.
For media: Viewership growth across all major distribution formats signals rising advertiser and rights-fee value for WNBA broadcast, cable, and streaming partners.
Read the full story at Awful Announcing
Sources
- Awful Announcing · Drew Lerner: WNBA viewership hits 26-year high in Year 1 of new TV deals