
Sports Business
Nielsen, ESPN share WNBA viewership insights that illustrate league’s growth among key demos
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May 14, 2026
Earlier this week, Nielsen shared WNBA viewership insights from the 2025 season and the 2026 WNBA Draft. The numbers show impressive overall success, as well as high growth in specific demographics and regional markets. That, coupled with brand-new viewership data from ESPN, illustrates that the league is stronger than ever in year 30. Let’s get into the paint.
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The WNBA seems to be everywhere these days, but not in a great way. A lot of the oxygen around the league is being taken up by off-court issues, particularly regarding trans women and trans athletes. On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz share their thoughts on it all, detailing the anti-trans comments that sparked this nationwide debate, the Players Association’s response, commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s leaked internal memo.






















