The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) was founded in 1996, debuting its first game in June of 1997. Twenty-seven years later, the league is finally ramping up the recognition it deserves. The WNBA made history this year, averaging 1.2 million viewers, a 170% increase from 2023. This success can be attributed to many factors, including increased league coverage. The rise of new streaming outlets and media promotions has been a huge game-changer in the WNBA’s popularity.
Icons such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have shed new light on women’s basketball as they showcase their incredible talents. The 2024 season saw Clark accepted into the All-WNBA first team (all-stars), the first rookie to do so since 2008. Angel Reese broke the single-season record for rebounds, averaging 13 per game (despite a wrist injury causing her to miss the end of the season). These stars faced off during the match between Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky, which emerged as the most streamed game of the season. The 2024 season ended with the New York Liberty defeating the Minnesota Lynx in the championship game.
In addition to growing the WNBA fan base, these stars have inspired female athletes of all levels.
Sophie Nguyen of the ERHS basketball team comments that “these female basketball players model the opportunities in the sport that foster a greater sense of motivation to continue to work hard.”
Many credit this year’s milestone as a push towards gender equality in sports. Current stars acknowledge these successes as not only their own but also the people who laid the foundation of the WNBA.
During an interview with CNN, three-time WNBA champion Chelsea Gray (Point Guard for the Las Vegas Aces) said, “There’s people that came before that allowed this to happen because there’s no viewership without the people that came before me and them.”
This sentiment is shared by fans witnessing the breakthrough in women’s sports.
“It’s been a long time coming and I’m grateful we’ve finally reached a point where women athletes, teams, and leagues have gained the appreciation they deserve,” shares long-time basketball fan, Kaylyn UnterKofler.
