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2017 WNBA playoff viewership is on the rise

By Jada Butts

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 20: Nneka Ogwumike
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 20: Nneka Ogwumike /
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The WNBA playoffs are enjoying a boost in year-over-year audience, ESPN announced Thursday.

ESPN and ESPN2 are averaging 224,000 viewers (P2+), up +6% from 2016, and have shown strong gains from viewers 18-49, with a +8% viewership gain from last year (74,200 in 2017).

The top two teams in the league – the defending WNBA champion Los Angeles Sparks and the Minnesota Lynx –  are set to battle it out in a best-of-fives series that tips off Sunday, September 24, at 3:30 p.m. on ABC.  All remaining games are set to air live on ESPN or ESPN2 and will be available to be streamed live on the ESPN app.

The Lynx are led by the 2017 WNBA MVP, Sylvia Fowles, as she will try to help avenge their lost in the finals last season.The Sparks had to the Lynx down to the wire, but were able to claim the WNBA title thanks to a last second rebound put-back by Nneka Ogwumike in a decisive Game 5. The Sparks are looking to become the first team to win consecutive WNBA titles since their own back-to-back championships in 2001 and 2002. Both the Lynx and Sparks have three WNBA titles and are pushing to tie the record of the Houston Comets with four.

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