The WNBA has broken its all-time regular-season attendance record, another sign of the league’s surging popularity in 2025.
With nearly a full month left on the regular season schedule, the league is now pushing toward an even larger milestone: the possibility of drawing more than 3 million fans in a single season for the first time.
Entering Thursday’s WNBA action, despite there being 13 teams in 2025, 2,501,609 fans had attended a game, surpassing the previous mark set in 2002 when there were 16 teams. It took the league 226 games to surpass the previous record in 30 fewer games.
While looming collective bargaining negotiations and potential labor disputes add uncertainty to the league’s long-term future, the record-setting attendance confirms the WNBA’s place as one of the fastest-growing sports properties in the country.
Valkyries, Fever, and Liberty Fuel the Surge
With the postseason still to come, the league is poised to not only shatter its attendance record but establish a new benchmark that could shape the trajectory of women’s professional basketball for years to come.
The Golden State Valkyries have been the biggest catalyst for this year’s attendance boom. In their inaugural season, the expansion franchise has sold out all 16 home games at Chase Center, bringing in a total of 289,024 fans. Their arrival has introduced a major-market presence in the Bay Area, where the Warriors’ established fan culture has carried over into support for the WNBA’s newest team.
Fever Draw 300,000 Fans Despite Caitlin Clark’s Injuries
The Indiana Fever, powered by Caitlin Clark’s star power, have continued to lead the league in total attendance. Through 18 home games, the Fever have drawn more than 300,000 fans, topping the WNBA in overall turnout.
Indiana has also been a consistent road draw, with opponents moving games into larger venues to meet heightened demand whenever Clark and the Fever are in town.
The New York Liberty have also emerged as a major driver of growth. Their average attendance is up 29% from last season, and they have already exceeded their 2024 full-season attendance by nearly 25,000 fans despite playing three fewer games so far.
That jump reflects the sustained momentum of last season’s Finals appearance and the strength of a roster led by Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones.
Per the WNBA.
— Sara Jane Gamelli (@SaraJGamelli) August 21, 2025
The WNBA sets an all-time attendance record with 2,501,609 fans as of 8/20/25.
In 2002, the record was set with 16 teams across 256 games. This season, the WNBA broke the record with 13 teams and just 226 games.
Wow. pic.twitter.com/JahgYEPDu1
Big Arenas, Bigger Crowds
Several WNBA teams have leaned into the league’s surging popularity by relocating selected games to larger arenas, particularly when hosting high-demand opponents like the Fever.
The Washington Mystics will host Indiana at Baltimore’s CFG Bank Arena on Sept. 7. The venue seats around 14,000—more than double the capacity of the team’s usual home, Entertainment & Sports Arena—allowing for a significantly larger crowd in what is expected to be one of the Mystics’ biggest games of the year.
The Las Vegas Aces, meanwhile, have scheduled three September home games at T-Mobile Arena, which holds about 18,000 fans, instead of Michelob Ultra Arena. The slate includes a matchup with the Minnesota Lynx and two against the Chicago Sky, contests that not only feature playoff implications but also spotlight some of the league’s top stars.
Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings Make History
The Dallas Wings also joined that trend, making history in July when a sellout crowd of 20,409 filled American Airlines Center for their matchup with the Fever. It was the largest WNBA crowd in Texas history, eclipsing previous marks set by the Houston Comets and San Antonio Silver Stars.
The night also established a Wings franchise record and made Dallas the fourth team in league history to host a game surpassing 20,000 attendees, joining the Mystics, Aces and the legacy Detroit Shock. It marked just the eighth regular-season WNBA game to exceed that threshold, and the 10th overall including the postseason.
These strategic venue shifts have allowed teams to capitalize on heightened demand, maximize revenue, and create atmospheres that rival those of the NBA and college basketball’s largest stages.
A Landmark WNBA Season
The attendance record is only part of the story. Television viewership has also soared in 2025, particularly on ABC. The Indiana Fever’s June matchup with the Chicago Sky drew 2.35 million viewers, the most-watched WNBA game in 23 years, while their July game against the Dallas Wings brought in 2.1 million viewers on ABC—up 69% from last year’s ABC average.
Overall, ABC’s WNBA broadcasts are up 20% year-over-year, with ESPN up 7%. The All-Star Game events also set historic viewing highs across ESPN, ABC, and Disney+.
As the postseason approaches, the WNBA enters uncharted territory: record-setting crowds, unprecedented TV audiences, and a league-wide profile that continues to climb. The coming weeks will not only decide a champion but will continue to amplify the league’s place in the broader sports landscape.
