NEW YORK, Oct 14 (Reuters) – Viewing figures for the WNBA hit record highs across ABC, CBS and ESPN this season, the league said on Wednesday, with the addition of two new teams a key factor.
• Broadcaster ABC averaged 1.56 million viewers, up 9% from 2025, while CBS viewership climbed 9% to 1.27 million. ESPN averaged 1.24 million viewers, up 32% from the previous year.
• The league, which welcomed new teams in Portland and Toronto this year, enjoyed its most-attended season with nearly 4 million people going to games.
• The WNBA celebrated its 30th season amid a period of rapid growth, with three more teams set to debut in 2028, 2029 and 2030 to meet a global surge of interest in women’s sports.
• “For three decades, generations of players, teams, fans and so many others have dedicated themselves to building this league and making a season like this possible,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement.
• “There is tremendous pride in what we’ve accomplished together and even greater excitement for all that lies ahead.”
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York, editing by Ed Osmond)
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