The most-watched game of the Sky-Mercury WNBA Finals was Game 2, which averaged 789,000 viewers and peaked at 1 millionNBAE/GETTY IMAGES
ESPN said that the WNBA Finals between the Chicago Sky and Phoenix Mercury averaged "about 548,000 viewers per game," marking its highest total since '17 and up 23% from last season and 42%" from '19, according to Ryan Young of YAHOO SPORTS. The network said that all 17 playoff games averaged "about 367,000 viewers per game," which is "up 63% from last season." In total, it was "the most-viewed postseason the WNBA has had" since '14. The league in September said that the '21 regular season was "the most-watched season" since '08, and that viewership was "up about 51% from last year." The WNBA had 100 games air on national TV broadcasts in '21 on either NBA TV, CBS Sports Network or an ESPN network. Outside of the '20 bubble season, the last time the league had "anywhere close to that many games on national TV" was in '08, when there were 81 (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 10/21). In Chicago, Jeff Agrest notes the most-watched game of the Sky-Mercury series was Game 2, the Mercury’s overtime victory, which averaged "789,000 viewers and peaked at 1 million." The Sky’s series clincher Sunday averaged 417,000 viewers "going up against the NFL" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 10/22).
GETTING BETTER: In Minneapolis, Jim Souhan writes after the WNBA has had time to "celebrate an entertaining postseason," it should look to become "better." All WNBA games "should be available on readily-accessible broadcast channels." Facebook "doesn't deserve this league," watching games on Twitter is "annoying, and forcing fans to buy an extra subscription is a bad idea" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 10/22).
