Sport: Basketball Country: United States Category: Scores & Results

WNBA sees record viewership, sparking discussion on sports radio coverage

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 28, 2026, 4:10 AM

Last updated Sep 28, 2026

WNBA sees record viewership, sparking discussion on sports radio coverage

Summary

The WNBA recently recorded its best viewership season in history, averaging 1.37 million viewers per game on ESPN, marking a 17% increase from last year. Additionally, the league secured a historic national media rights deal worth $3.1 billion over 11 years, significantly rising from previous agreements. As interest in women's sports grows, there are concerns that sports radio has not adapted quickly enough to this shift. Ongoing discussions suggest that sports radio could capitalize on this expanding audience by increasing coverage of women's sports, reflecting the changing of sports viewership.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

By the Numbers

•WNBA averaged 1.37 million viewers per game on ESPN this season.
•Viewership increased 17% compared to the previous year.
•The league's media rights deal is worth $3.1 billion over 11 years.
•65% of the WNBA's regular-season games aired on national platforms.
•Sports radio is urged to increase coverage of women's sports.

Latest Updates

4:10 AMYahoo Sports — Why Sports Radio Should Give the WNBA a Bigger Seat at the Table Before It’s Too Late

What they're saying

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"Sports radio has spent decades telling listeners what's worth talking about. In today's fragmented media environment, perhaps it's time to listen to what the audience is telling sports radio is worth talking about." The post Why Sports Radio Should Give the WNBA a Bigger Seat at the Table Before It’s Too Late appeared first on Barrett Media.
— Yahoo Sports

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