The WNBA saw its lowest average attendance on record during the '18 season, as the N.Y. Liberty's move from MSG to the suburbs put a big dent into numbers. The league averaged 6,769 fans per game during the regular season, down 12% from '17 and the first time the league has ever dipped below an average of 7,000 fans per game. The previous low for the league was 7,318 per game in '15. One of the main culprits for the attendance drop this season was the Liberty leaving their longtime home at MSG for Westchester Events Center. That led to a 72% drop at the gate compared to '17 and moved the Liberty -- long among the league leaders in attendance -- to last at the gate among all teams. Removing the Liberty from this year's figures, the WNBA would have been down only 5%. The Washington Mystics (-21%) and Indiana Fever (-16%) also saw sharp drops. The L.A. Sparks once again led all teams at the gate, but were down 6% in '18. On the positive side, the Dallas Wings were up 23% this season. During the club's first season in Las Vegas, the Aces averaged 5,307 fans per game. During that franchise's last season in San Antonio in '17, the club averaged 6,386. Meanwhile, the WNBA All-Star Game at Target Center drew 15,922 fans, marking the event's best figure since '07.
|
'18 WNBA REGULAR-SEASON ATTENDANCE
|
| TEAM |
GAMES
|
TOTAL
|
AVG.
|
% CAP.
|
PREV.
|
% +/-
|
GAMES ('17)
|
| L.A. Sparks |
17
|
180,910
|
10,642
|
81.0%
|
11,350
|
-6.2%
|
17
|
| Minnesota Lynx* |
17
|
170,620
|
10,036
|
80.9%
|
10,407
|
-3.6%
|
17
|
| Phoenix Mercury |
17
|
169,149
|
9,950
|
103.3%
|
9,913
|
0.4%
|
17
|
| Seattle Storm |
17
|
137,846
|
8,109
|
83.7%
|
7,704
|
5.2%
|
17
|
| Connecticut Sun |
17
|
111,665
|
6,569
|
70.5%
|
6,728
|
-2.4%
|
17
|
| Chicago Sky |
17
|
108,091
|
6,358
|
86.7%
|
6,583
|
-3.4%
|
17
|
| Indiana Fever |
17
|
107,295
|
6,311
|
80.3%
|
7,538
|
-16.3%
|
17
|
| Washington Mystics** |
16
|
98,176
|
6,136
|
82.9%
|
7,771
|
-21.0%
|
17
|
| Las Vegas Aces^ |
17
|
90,219
|
5,307
|
44.2%
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
| Dallas Wings |
17
|
80,782
|
4,752
|
67.9%
|
3,872
|
22.7%
|
17
|
| Atlanta Dream |
17
|
71,305
|
4,194
|
48.8%
|
4,452
|
-5.8%
|
17
|
| N.Y. Liberty^^ |
17
|
47,988
|
2,823
|
56.5%
|
9,889
|
-71.5%
|
17
|
| TOTALS |
203
|
1,374,046
|
6,769
|
74.2%
|
7,716
|
-12.3%
|
204
|
NOTES: * = The Lynx returned to a renovated Target Center this season after playing '17 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. ** = Only 16 games at home after Aces forfeited a game in August. ^ = Team relocated from San Antonio to Las Vegas for '18 season. Capacity was 9,888 last season and 12,000 at MGM Grand Garden Arena for '18. ^^ = Liberty relocated from MSG to Westchester Events Center for '18 season (smaller capacity).
