WNBA Finals Game 6 Draws 1.5 Million Viewers Despite Afternoon Slot
Game 6 of the WNBA Finals averaged 1.5 million viewers across USA Sports channels and Peacock, USA Sports said. The game tipped off at 12:30 p.m. ET Thursday.
4% above last year's clinching Finals game, which aired in primetime.
1.7 million viewers when counting encore airings on USA and CNBC.
80-69: the Dream beat the Valkyries to force Game 7.
1.71 million watched Game 3, the most ever on cable.
Why it matters: The audience numbers shape how the league and its broadcasters measure the WNBA's growth. How those numbers are built is now in question.
1.66 million watched Game 4 on NBC TV, citing Sports Media Watch.
232,000 streaming viewers, counted separately by Adobe, pushed Game 4 past ESPN's record.
Game 5 drew about 35% fewer viewers than the 2024 record of 2.15 million.
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Where they split: USA Today reports the figures as a ratings surge, while OutKick argues the record claims rely on mixed data sources and changed measurement methods.
Center coverage, 2 sources: The center sees a WNBA postseason drawing strong audiences, even for an afternoon Finals game.
