2025 WNBA playoffs had been the most-watched ever on ESPN, with the Aces' Finals win averaging 1.5 million viewers

[ad_1] Although it solely lasted 4 video games, the WNBA Finals carried out extremely effectively on ESPN this fall.

The community introduced on Tuesday that the Las Vegas Aces’ collection win over the Phoenix Mercury averaged 1.5 million viewers per sport. That made it the second-most-watched WNBA Finals in historical past, behind solely final 12 months’s battle between the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty.

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Recreation 1, which the Aces gained 97-86, was one of the best performing sport of the collection. That drew about 1.9 million viewers and peaked at 2.5 million viewers. That made it the most-watched opening sport of a collection in 28 years. Solely the 1997 Finals, which was a winner-take-all contest, carried out higher.

In complete, the league averaged about 1.2 million viewers per sport all through the complete playoffs. That’s up about 5% from final season, and made this 12 months the most-watched WNBA postseason ever on ESPN.

The Aces, behind reigning league MVP A’ja Wilson, rolled over the Mercury to seize a 4-0 win within the Finals, which expanded to seven video games for the primary time this fall. It marked the Aces’ third championship within the final 4 seasons. Wilson earned Finals MVP honors, too, which solely added to her historic 12 months. She’s now the primary participant in WNBA or NBA historical past to win the scoring title, regular-season MVP, Defensive Participant of the 12 months and Finals MVP in the identical season.

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Whereas the league is drawing as a lot consideration as ever, it's at a vital second amid the continuing negotiations between the gamers and management over a brand new collective bargaining settlement. The present CBA expires on Oct. 31, and issues have turned tense after gamers — most notably Napheesa Collier — have publicly referred to as out commissioner Cathy Engelbert. The league is ready to obtain $200 million per season as a part of a brand new 11-year, $2.2 billion media cope with Disney, Amazon and NBC. It additionally expanded a cope with ION, and reached an 11-year cope with the USA Community.

Whether or not a brand new deal will get carried out in time to keep away from a lockout stays to be seen. But when this season’s playoff numbers are any indication, followers are nonetheless completely locked into the WNBA.