The Las Vegas Aces are off to a dominant start to the WNBA Finals. Game 1 was a thriller, full of back-and-forth lead changes, and star-studded performances — ending with an 89-86 Aces win over the Phoenix Mercury. Game 2 was a bit of a different story. Las Vegas took a 2-0 series lead, controlling the game with a final score of 91-78.
Game 2 also consisted of a couple of masterclasses put on by league MVP A'ja Wilson and Jackie Young. Wilson put up 28 points and 14 rebounds after recording 21 points in Game 1. Young had a slower start, recording 10 in Game 1, but showed out when she put up 32 in Game 2.
But this series is far from over, and the Phoenix Mercury deserve their credit. Satou Sabally and Kahleah Copper both had 20+ points in Game 2. In the series opener, Sabally, Copper, and Thomas all showed out. Sabally had 19, Copper put up 21, and Thomas finished with 15 points. Honestly, these Finals have been must-watch basketball—and the viewership seemingly proves that.
ESPN scored the most-watched Game 1 of the #WNBAFinals presented by YouTube TV in 28 Years! 👏
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) October 7, 2025
🏀 1.9M avg. viewers | Up 62% YoY
🏀 WNBA Playoffs up 16% YoY pic.twitter.com/vr1X5ThoPt
The WNBA fanbase just keeps growing
This WNBA Finals opener is the most-watched since the league's inaugural season, averaging 1.9 million viewers and peaking at 2.5 million. This is up 62 percent from last year's Game 1, when the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty faced off in the 2024 Finals. These numbers are even more staggering when you learn that only three seasons ago, the 2022 Finals Game 1 averaged only 555K viewers, around 242 percent less than this year.
This trend is not new either. The WNBA semifinal series saw massive growth as well. The semifinals averaged 1.3 million viewers, a 57 percent jump from 2024. The Game 5 overtime thriller between the Las Vegas Aces and Indiana Fever averaged 1.8 million viewers, peaking at 2.1 million. That makes it the most-watched WNBA Semifinals game in 27 years.
More people are also tuning in to the pregame coverage, WNBA Countdown, hosted by Elle Duncan, Andraya Carter, and Chiney Ogwumike. They averaged 626,000 viewers, a 78 percent jump from last season. Seemingly, people aren't just looking to watch women's basketball, but to hear about it too. Rightfully so, as their pregame coverage is some of the best in the business.
If you're looking to become a part of the WNBA's viewership growth, be sure to tune into the rest of these Finals. Game 3 tips off tonight, Oct. 8, at 8.00 p.m. ET on ESPN. And if you're interested in pregame coverage, WNBA Countdown begins an hour before tip-off.