The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) has often been on the sidelines, but in 2024, it has become a main event. Years of effort by female athletes and brands have pushed women’s sports into the spotlight — and this weekend, a historic season for women’s basketball comes to a close.

Ball o’clock: The WNBA kicked off its 2024 season with its highest attendance in 26 years and record-breaking viewership — and this week, we’ll see if it can finish how it started. Now, with round one of the WNBA Finals finally here, it’s the beginning of the end of a breakout season for women’s basketball. This season has been elevated by rookies like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, attracting younger, predominantly female fans and pushing the league into primetime.

• This year, viewership for the premier women’s basketball league surged 170% on ESPN and 133% on ION — with 22 regular-season games, plus the WNBA Draft and All-Star events, averaging over 1M viewers.
• Attendance also saw double-digit increases across all 12 teams, including a season-high crowd of 20,711.

Big Games, Big Business

Rising viewership helped the WNBA secure a record 11-year media rights deal, valued at ~$200M annually (up from $60M). While some player advocates feel the deal undervalues the league, many businesses are taking notice.

• This season saw sports brands like New Balance and Off-White partner with the WNBA, seeking to capture growing interest in women’s sports and sportswear.
• Major sponsors like AT&T, American Express, and Aflac have also tapped into the league to connect with a younger, progressive audience.

Forward-looking: While much of the excitement has come from standout rookies, the WNBA’s rapid growth shows no signs of slowing. With plans to expand from 12 to 14 teams, more investment from businesses and fans is likely. As Atlanta Dream SVP Dan Gadd put it, “I’ve never seen a year-over-year change in sports like this, and how to handle that’s been one of the biggest questions.”