Aces, Liberty set Game 1 viewership record for WNBA Finals

In a thrilling super-team showdown, the WNBA Finals is proving to be a hit with viewers.

ESPN announced on Tuesday that the first game of the series on Sunday achieved the highest ratings ever for a WNBA Finals Game 1 on ESPN networks. The game was broadcasted on ESPN’s parent network ABC on Sunday afternoon.

According to ESPN, the game had an average of 729,000 viewers and reached a peak of 885,000. Since 1998, ESPN and its networks have televised a total of 83 WNBA Finals games.

The game remained closely contested, with the margin as close as two points in the late third quarter, before the Aces pulled away for a convincing 99-82 victory. The intense early action and presence of star players from both teams kept viewers engaged despite the lopsided final score.

The Aces, the reigning champion, were considered the favorites entering Game 1 due to their lineup of All-Stars A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, and Kelsey Plum. Young put on a standout performance in Sunday’s game, scoring a career-high of 26 points in the playoffs.

The Liberty, on the other hand, boast league MVP Breanna Stewart, along with offseason additions Jonquel Jones and Courtney Vandersloot, supporting Betnijah Laney and Sabrina Ionescu. The team underwent significant restructuring in the past offseason to compete for a championship.

The Aces took an early 1-0 series lead with their victory, while the Liberty will strive to even the series in Game 2, which will be held in Las Vegas on Wednesday night.