NEW YORK – The WNBA has officially shattered its single-season attendance record, a historic milestone reached with two-and-a-half weeks still remaining in the regular season. League officials announced on Thursday that the league’s 13 teams have collectively drawn an incredible 2,501,609 fans over just 226 games this season.
This figure surpasses the previous record of 2.36 million set in 2002, a remarkable achievement given that it was accomplished with three fewer teams and 30 fewer games than the 2002 season.
The College Basketball Boom Carries Over
The surge in popularity is a direct result of the unprecedented attention on women’s college basketball in recent years, particularly the rivalry between now-WNBA stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. Last season, their arrival as rookies created a seismic shift, with sold-out arenas becoming the norm for Clark and the Indiana Fever.
Despite both Clark and Reese dealing with injuries this season, the momentum has not slowed. The continued growth is fueled by a new wave of star power, including rookie guard Paige Bueckers in Dallas, as well as the excitement generated by the expansion Golden State Valkyries and a significant increase in national television coverage.
With a record-high 44-game schedule for each team this season, up from 40 last year, the league is on pace to not just break the old attendance record, but to completely redefine it, signaling a new era of growth and popularity for the WNBA.
Discussion about this post