The WNBA is seeing historic viewership numbers this summer, with a recent Indiana Fever vs. New York Liberty game drawing ESPN's second-largest regular-season audience in three decades, averaging two million viewers. This figure represents a 116 percent increase over the network's regular-season average from the previous season. Overall, WNBA viewership has seen a 12 percent increase for the current season, with games on ABC and ESPN up approximately 5 percent from the prior year.
This surge in viewership has occurred amidst significant player-related controversies. Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham faced protests and counterprotests after voicing opposition to transgender athletes in women's sports. During a road game, Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington committed a hard foul on Cunningham, leading to her ejection. Cunningham was left with a bloody mouth following the incident.
Following the foul, Carrington, who is Black, posted "white privilege" on X, sparking further debate. While she later denied the post was a direct response to the foul call, she offered no further explanation.
Carrington also recently drew scrutiny after she complained about a fan's behavior during a game between the Sky and the Golden State Valkyries. Security escorted the fan away after Carrington's complaint, but the fan was later seen back in their seat. A Valkyries official described the fan's behavior as cooperative after an "unfounded" complaint, and the Sky issued a warning to the fan.
Despite these controversies, the league has continued to attract a growing audience, with the most recent game highlighting a substantial increase in regular-season viewership.