2022 WNBA season cementing it's legacy of record-high engagement

The GIST: The WNBA Finals started off with a win for the Las Vegas Aces and the league as a whole. The W’s posted several off-court triumphs this week, cementing the 2022 season as one of the best yet.

By the numbers: These victories include increased engagement across multiple channels from fans and potential stakeholders alike.

• 555K: The average viewership of ABC’s Sunday broadcast of Game 1 of the Finals, which peaked at 872K. Despite competing with the first NFL Sunday of the season, the Finals Game 1 viewership was up 18% YoY. However, the number is lower than the 905K the network averaged a week earlier for Sue Bird’s final game.

• 10K: The sellout crowd that filled Las Vegas’ Michelob Ultra Arena for Game 1 and last night’s Game 2. Talk about home-court advantage.

• 10: The approximate number of cities still contending for an expansion franchise. The W has reportedly whittled the list down from at least 100, and is on track to announce its newest teams by the end of 2022. Oh, the anticipation.

The bottom line: A lasting legacy of the 2022 season will be record-high engagement across the board, strengthening the W’s case as America’s hottest women’s sports property — and perhaps the most exciting growth opportunity in U.S. pro sports.