ESPN delivered its most-watched WNBA regular season ever in 2026, marking the third straight year that regular season viewing set records.
Across 29 games, the WNBA on ESPN networks averaged 1.37 million viewers, up 17% year-over-year.
ESPN presented 17 games this season, averaging 1.24 million viewers, up 32% year-over-year, while 12 games on ABC averaged 1.56 million viewers, up 9% year-over-year.
The historic season also delivered significant growth among younger audiences. Viewership among persons 2-17 increased 29% year-over-year, while persons 18-24 grew 27%.
Non-Indiana games averaged 984,000 viewers, up 24% year-over-year and its WNBA Countdown show averaged 595,000 viewers, up 27% year-over-year.
The record-setting season was highlighted by five games averaging more than 2 million viewers. Those games were:
- Indiana Fever at Atlanta Dream – Aug. 16, ESPN: 2.58M viewers
- Indiana Fever at Chicago Sky – Aug. 8, ABC: 2.56M viewers
- Indiana Fever at Minnesota Lynx – Aug. 2, ABC: 2.52M viewers
- Dallas Wings at Indiana Fever – May 9, ABC: 2.49M viewers
- New York Liberty at Indiana Fever – Aug. 11, ESPN: 2.01M viewers
Indiana Fever-Atlanta Dream on Aug. 16 led all WNBA games across ESPN networks this season and became the most-watched WNBA regular-season or postseason game ever on cable.
