Ranking WNBA Attendance By Year: Top 10 Games With Most Viewership

After the inauguration of the WNBA in 1997, the league has evolved in terms of remuneration to the players and its following among the fans. However, despite such a long period of boiling popularity among basketball enthusiasts, some games were more popular and recorded attendance greater than modern-day games. No doubt, the league’s marketability has increased after the arrival of Caitlin Clark and the former prospect, Aliyah Boston. But the avid followers of women’s basketball supported the game, even before the sudden burst in the entertainment world. Today, we will recognize such games where fans gave their nod to the spirit of Women’s basketball.

The Evolution of WNBA Attendance

When Los Angeles Sparks and New York Liberty clashed in the Great Western Forum of Los Angeles on June 21, 1997, the average attendance that came to court was 14,284.

Early Years

Throughout that inaugural season, the attendance of the WNBA league varied according to the versatility of the players and the popularity of the teams. The first batch that established its identity among women’s basketball followers included legends like Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, and Lisa Leslie, who attracted fans for a long time.

Whenever any franchise got a generational player, the league was expected to experience an increase in the number of audiences. However, the number fluctuated throughout the initial years of the WNBA league.

Modern Trends

Coming to the modern area of women’s basketball, the average attendance of players in games has increased significantly. The primary reason behind the elevating attendance is the exposure of media to the sports, the rising community of new women’s basketball lovers, and the withholding of quality games by stars like A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. However, the league was yet to experience the monumental surge in WNBA attendance that it witnessed in the year 2024.

The entry of Caitlin Clark as the 2024 Indiana Fever rookie impacted the WNBA attendance historically. The WNBA recorded the all-time highest attendance in the last 22 years(2,353,735). The astounding rise in attendance was 48% more than the previous 2023 season of the league. The league’s 152 sellouts marked a 242% increase from the last 2023 WNBA season.

You might be wondering how Caitlin Clark had a major impact on all of this. Let us surprise you with the fact that according to WNBA, the Fever’s total home attendance of 340,715 fans was the single-season record for a WNBA team, surpassing the previous home attendance record of 250,565. It was set by the New York team in 2001 in just 16 games.

Top 10 WNBA Games by Attendance

Let’s check around the Top 10 WNBA games that recorded historic attendance as per Across The Timeline data:

1. Detroit Shock vs. Phoenix Mercury (September 16, 2007 WNBA Finals)

Average Attendance: 22,076

The 2007 WNBA finals between Detroit Shock and Phoenix Mercury recorded a barrage of WNBA followers in the arena for many reasons. It was the first time when the winning team recorded the victory in the home arena of the opponent. Phoenix Mercury were the underdogs that year because, no doubt, they were the top seed in the Western Conference, but Detroit Shock had won 2 WNBA championships in the past. Yet the Phoenix team managed to overturn the expected results and that’s what garnered the audience towards the basketball arena.

2. Detroit Shock vs. Los Angeles Sparks (September 16, 2003 Finals)

Average Attendance: 22,076

The 2003 WNBA finals were a historic series of basketball games, especially due to the record of the finalists in the series. It was the first time when Detroit Shock made it to the finals for the first time as a franchise. On the other hand, the Los Angeles Sparks had already made their way to the WNBA finals two times in a row and had even secured the titles. It happened in the years 2001 and 2002. Therefore, there was immense pressure on the Detroit players as first-timers. However, destiny played its game and Lisa Leslie emerged to be a key player in the victory of the Detroit shock.

3. Washington Mystics vs. Indiana Fever (September 19, 2024 Regular Season)

Average Attendance: 20,711

The intense matchup between Indiana Fever and Washington Mystics played out on September 19, 2024. It was a close game where the Mystics won the game by a margin of one point. Sika Kone of the Washington Mystics recorded her career-high 20 points in the game to clinch the win from Caitlin Clark and Indiana Fever’s clutches. Caitlin Clark was not able to score big in that game because she could only dish out eight points on the court. But her accuracy from the perimeter was still on point, recording a 66.7 shooting percentage.

4. Washington Mystics vs. Cleveland Rockers (July 21, 1999 Regular Season)

Average Attendance: 20,674

The humongous crowd of 20,674 fans cheered for the Washington Mystics. However, the Rockers controlled the game throughout the contest, getting a victory over Washington with an 85-68 scoreline. The Rockers’ Eva Nemcova scored a team-high 19 points on the way to the team’s victory, while Chamique Holdsclaw tallied out 23 points for the Washington Mystics. It was a miracle for the Cleveland Rockers to win because before taking on the Mystics at the Verizon Center Arena, the team was just 4-13. It was just a little worse than the Mystics’ record of 5-12. Yet, both teams would finish at the bottom of the Eastern Conference by the end of the 1999 Regular season.

5. Washington Mystics vs. Charlotte Sting (June 10, 1999 Regular Season)

Average Attendance: 20,674

The Charlotte Sting batch of 1999 was surely the better team. They had 1a 998 All-WNBA Second Team members like Andrea Stinson. That’s why the Washington Mystics found themselves in a close encounter. Despite their unexpected record by the end of the season, the Mystics showed that the 1998 season, the franchise’s second-ever, could be one filled with success.

But the Sting roster made a comeback in the fourth quarter, going on an 18-4 run, highlighted by the team’s incredible zone defense. Eventually, the Charlotte team sealed an 83-73 victory in the Mystics’ home arena with 20,674 spectators. The players who stood out were Nikki McCray of the Mystics, averaging 22 points, and the former Sting player Dawn Staley, tallying 23 points. She is currently the head coach of the University of South Carolina’s women’s basketball team, which won the 2024 NCAA championship.

6. Washington Mystics vs. Charlotte Sting (July 21, 1998 Regular Season)

Average Attendance: 20,674

In the Washington Mystics’ first-ever game in the WNBA, they tackled the Charlotte Sting. The 1998 Charlotte team was not as glittery as their 1999 matchup. Dawn Staley was missing from the 1998 season, but Vicky Bullett did not let her absence matter. She scored 19 points for the Sting in their ultimate 86-56 victory. Still, the Mystics fans had the acquisition of the whole MCI Arena with 20,674 pairs of eyes.

The Mystics team had turned the hopes up with the 41-31 at halftime. However, the Sting turned things up, leading to their 30-point victory. Former had even cut the lead to 41-37 at a point early in the second quarter, but they still proved to be no match for Charlotte.

7. Washington Mystics vs. Utah Starzz (June 19, 1998 Regular Season)

Average Attendance: 20,674

The Washington Mystics were continuously filling the MCI Center area with record crowds every time they appeared during the initial years of the league. The trivia for the reason behind it is that the team even gave away free tickets to the crowd in the hopes of getting more retention in the crowd.

That’s why the team was able to dominate the league in raw attendance numbers, but the profit was on a large scale. Washington Mystics’ record from the 1998 season was 3-27, and fans were waiting for a miracle victory. Those hopes rose up in June when they took on the Utah Starzz.

The Starzz, the franchise that was relocated to San Antonio and then sold once more to become the Las Vegas Aces, was one of the eight original teams in the WNBA. On June 19, the record-breaking 20,674 fans witnessed the miracle when the Mystics beat the Starzz by a score of 85-76. The credit winner of that game was Nikki McCray, who tallied a season-high 29 points.

According to the reports of Josh Barr of the Washington Post, McCray waited until the final buzzer sounded to become overwhelmed with emotion as the Mystics completed their first victory of the season and their first inside their home arena, the MCI Center. After the game, McCray spoke with the media about how she handled her emotions as the game winded down, “I wanted to smile a whole lot, with this type of atmosphere you want to do great things, but you’ve got to keep your composure.”

8. Las Vegas Aces vs. Indiana Fever (July 2, 2024 Regular Season)

Average Attendance: 20,366

Kelsey Plum was the Star of the night during this game because she tallied 34 points against Indiana Fever in front of 20,366 spectators. Apart from Kelsey Plum, A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young also scored big in that game. Wilson dished out 28 points, while Jackie Young tallied 15 points on the court. The Indiana Fever roster was not able to make it big, as Caitlin Clark was still new and scored 13 points. Aliyah Boston tried her best, scoring 18 points, but Kelsey Mitchell could not stand up for a better score(23) as a seasoned player.

9. Washington Mystics vs. Indiana Fever (June 7, 2024 Regular Season)

Average Attendance: 20,333

On June 7, the Mystics hosted the Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark at the Capital One Arena in front of a sold-out crowd of 20,333, the most fans in attendance for any game so far last season. It was another opportunity for Clark to prove her mettle in the pro league.

The Indiana Fever and Washington Mystics brought in more fans than Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals (19,156), where the Boston Celtics hosted the Dallas Mavericks at the TD Garden. Clark put on a show in front of this record-number of fans, scoring 30 points on seven three-pointers. Even around the rim, she got eight rebounds, six assists, and four steals to help the Fever secure an 85-83 victory in their opponent’s home arena.

10. Washington Mystics vs. Los Angeles Sparks (August 14, 1999 Regular Season)

Average Attendance: 19,974

The Los Angeles Sparks and the Mystics matched up once again in the 1999 WNBA season to execute their growth on the court. Washington was entering with an 11-16 winning record. That’s why 19,974 fans had accumulated to witness what the Washington roster was ready to serve them for a dose of entertainment. The former did the same, scoring 39 points in the second half and winning the game with a 55-53 scoreline. Nikki McCray was the star for the Mystics once again, scoring 20 points to single-handedly lead her team to victory.

Also Read: The 10 Best Players in WNBA History: Female Basketball Icons

Factors Driving Attendance Trends

Star Power

In the WNBA, popularity matters, and the players who have one are the tools to garner the attention of the audience. It is not just the performance of the court as a player but also the showmanship of the player and how many accolades she holds. Generational players like Caitlin Clark, Diana Taurasi, and Lisa Leslie type players can captivate the audience with their star power and even give entertainment under clutch situations.

Rivalries

The rivalries that are common in the league, like Seattle Storm vs. Phoenix Mercury and New York Liberty vs. the Los Angeles Sparks, call a great number of audience. The primary reason behind such attention from the fans is these matchups carry a history with them. Now, it can be in the statistical form or in the form of player rivalries on the court. Such cases spice up the games for the fans ultimately and their overall experience.

Marketing and Media

Broadcasting partners like TNT have revolutionized how fans perceive women’s basketball. The exposure of media and the marketability that the female players are bringing onto the platform are much greater than their predecessors.

Local Support

Over time, teams like the Minnesota Lynx and Indiana Fever have built up a loyal fanbase in their local region. Therefore, when it comes to the home arena of the respective teams, these teams claim the record numbers in WNBA attendance. Community outreach programs in such areas also elevate the following of the franchise.

Also Read: Which Player Has WNBA Most Assists in a Season?

Comparing WNBA Attendance With and Without Caitlin Clark

Caitlin Clark is no doubt a star from the first season in the WNBA. As per Marca’s claim, Fox executive Michael Mulvihill reported that Clark’s games on TV averaged 1.178 million viewers, which is almost three times the audience for all other WNBA games, averaging 394,000.

Even Associated Press reporter Tim Reynolds reported some astonishing attendance figures. When the Indiana Fever, Clark’s team, played, they averaged 16,084 fans this season, while non-Fever games only averaged 8,552. That’s an 88% difference. The fans from other franchises are loving Caitlin since according to Reynolds, when the Fever played in Atlanta and Washington, the attendance numbers soared through the roof. The Dream games in Atlanta garnered 17,592 fans when they hosted the Fever, compared to just 3,316 for all other games. Similarly, the Mystics in Washington had 20,522 fans when the Indiana Fever was in town but only averaged 4,988 for their other games.

Average WNBA Attendance by Team(2024)

In the 2024 season, Indiana Fever was the standout team in terms of WNBA attendance. However, it will be interesting to witness the teams who made it to the Top 5 as per the archives from Across The Timeline:

Conclusion

Studying the average attendance of the WNBA over the years reveals the increasing popularity and cultural significance of the league. From unprecedented Finals matches to the influence of standout players like Caitlin Clark, the WNBA remains a source of fascination for fans. Ever-increasing investment in women’s sports makes the future of the league appear to be very bright. Being present at a WNBA match is an opportunity people will not want to lose,e whether they are committed supporters or novice fans of the game.

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