In a season that saw needle-mover Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever miss the majority of the year, A’ja Wilson win her fourth league MVP and her Las Vegas Aces clinch the WNBA championship, ESPN has revealed record viewership numbers from the 2025 season.
ESPN announced its 2025 coverage delivered the most-watched WNBA regular season and postseason ever across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, based on Nielsen Big Data + Panel.
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Across 25 regular-season telecasts on ESPN networks, the WNBA averaged 1.3 million viewers (up 6% year-over-year), while 24 postseason telecasts averaged 1.2 million viewers (up 5% year-over-year).
ESPN also said the 2025 WNBA postseason was the most-viewed across all networks, which also includes CBS and Ion, since 1999, with the 2025 WNBA Finals on ABC becoming the second-most-watched finals telecast in ESPN network history.
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According to Nielsen, the WNBA’s nationally televised regular-season average was at about 969,000 viewers across ABC, ESPN, CBS and Ion, a 3% increase year-over-year, with Disney-owned networks (ABC/ESPN) averaging 1.3 million for their games and airing eight of the league’s top 10 most-watched games.
The top single-game audience on ABC for the season came during a Fever vs. Chicago Sky matchup on May 17, with Clark active, drawing roughly 2.7 million viewers.
Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) reacts to a flagrant foul by Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22).Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
While Clark played in just 13 games, a mix of established stars and new names helped sustain national interest throughout 2025.
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Wilson and Napheesa Collier took the MVP race down to the wire, Angel Reese built off her dominant rookie season, again leading the league in rebounding (12.6 rebounds per game) and former UConn Huskies sensation Paige Bueckers carried her elite play over to the pros, earning Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year.
The addition of a Bay Area franchise (Golden State Valkyries) and an expanded 44-game schedule further helped drive viewership numbers and national interest.
Related: WNBA Team in Line for Punishment After Indiana Fever Game
Related: Caitlin Clark Trending After WNBA Receives Alarming News
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Oct 16, 2025, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
