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WNBA Draws Best Average Attendance Since '11; L.A. Sparks Lead League With 18% Gain

WNBA teams finished the '17 campaign with an average of 7,713 fans per game, the league's highest figure since '11. The L.A. Sparks led the way with an average 11,350, up a league-best 17.8% from last season and the team’s highest mark since ‘02. Three other teams -- the Connecticut Sun, Minnesota Lynx and Washington Mystics -- also posted double-digit growth. The Lynx played home games this season at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul due to renovations taking place at Target Center in Minneapolis. The team finished with its highest attendance since their inaugural season in ‘99. During the Dallas Wings' sophomore season in the Metroplex market, the club drew 3,830 fans per game at UT-Arlington's College Park Center, the lowest average for a WNBA team this season and the sharpest drop of any team, despite making the playoffs. The Atlanta Dream (-20.7%) and the Fever (-12.1%) also had sharp drops at the gate.

'17 WNBA REGULAR-SEASON ATTENDANCE
TEAM
GAMES
TOTAL
AVG.
% CAP.
PREV.
% +/-
L.A. Sparks
17
192,957
11,350
84.1%
9,638
17.8%
Minnesota Lynx*
17
176,919
10,407
84.1%
9,266
12.3%
Phoenix Mercury
17
168,516
9,913
102.9%
10,351
-4.2%
N.Y. Liberty
17
168,107
9,889
97.7%
9,724
1.7%
Washington Mystics
17
132,112
7,771
105.0%
6,929
12.2%
Seattle Storm
17
130,975
7,704
79.5%
7,230
6.6%
Indiana Fever
17
128,141
7,538
83.8%
8,575
-12.1%
Connecticut Sun
17
114,370
6,728
72.2%
5,837
15.3%
Chicago Sky
17
111,919
6,583
89.8%
7,009
-6.1%
San Antonio Stars
17
108,554
6,386
77.0%
6,385
0.0%
Atlanta Dream**
17
75,684
4,452
51.8%
5,614
-20.7%
Dallas Wings
17
65,824
3,872
56.9%
5,298
-26.9%
WNBA TOTALS
204
1,574,078
7,716
82.6%
7,655
0.8%
NOTES: Last season, no games were scheduled from July 23-Aug. 24 due to the Rio Olympics. * = The Lynx played their 2017 home schedule at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul as Target Center underwent renovations. ** = Includes one designated Dream home game played at Georgia Tech's McCamish Pavilion last season.

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