Minnesota Lynx’s WNBA Finals success over rivals the Los Angeles Sparks became one of the most watched women’s basketball games in the States.
The viewing numbers for this year’s Finals surpassed last year’s by a massive 24 percent, according to the WNBA press release.
Via WNBA:
The 2017 WNBA Finals on ESPN, in which the Minnesota Lynx defeated the Los Angeles Sparks 3-2 to win the WNBA Championship, is the highest-rated since 2003. The five-game series averaged a 0.5 metered market rating, up 24 percent compared to 2016, based on metered market ratings from Nielsen.
Wednesday’s Game 5 on ESPN was the highest-rated WNBA Finals game since 2003, delivering a 0.8 metered market rating, doubling last year’s Game 5 rating (0.4). The telecast peaked with a 1.1 rating from 10:45 – 11 p.m. ET.
Game 5 on ESPN generated a 7.9 rating in the Minneapolis market. The remaining top five markets include Hartford (2.4), New Orleans (1.4), Louisville (1.4) and Birmingham (1.2). The telecast averaged a 0.9 in the Los Angeles market.
