The Unsettling Rise of Stalking In Sports + WNBA Showing Postseason Vibes
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Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
WNBA breaks 23-year-old regular-season attendance record, Golden State Valkyries help drive growth
The WNBA broke a 23-year-old regular-season attendance record this past Friday, as first reported by Front Office Sports. There are still three more weeks before the league calendar turns to the postseason. It took 215 games this year for the league to break its single-season total attendance record, which was set back in 2002. That year, the W totaled 2,364,736 fans in attendance at a combined 256 games, according to data from Across the Timeline. As of Wednesday afternoon, 226 WNBA games have been played in 2025, and 2,488,011 fans have already attended. The introduction of the Golden State Valkyries — an expansion franchise and the W's 13th team — has played a role in the league taking another step forward in popularity. Playing in San Francisco's Chase Center, which also hosts the NBA's Golden State Warriors, the Valkyries have sold out all 17 of their home games so far, pulling in a league-best average of 18,064 fans. Under head coach Natalie Nakase, the Valkyries have vastly exceeded expectations in Year 1. They are currently 18-17, sitting in seventh place of the league standings with a shot at a playoff push. Golden State has stayed afloat, even after losing All-Star forward Kayla Thornton for the season last month. While the addition of the Valkyries has helped the W's numbers, it's important to note that the league's previous total attendance record was set when there were 16 teams. Behind Golden State on this year's WNBA average attendance leaderboard is the Indiana Fever, according to the same data set from Across the Timeline. The Fever have averaged approximately 16,747 fans in 2025. Indiana has remained popular despite superstar Caitlin Clark being sidelined with four different muscle injuries that have limited her to 13 games played, the latest a right groin issue that has kept her out since July 15. Still a fan magnet, the Fever have drawn large crowds on the road, too. For instance, the Connecticut Sun played in and sold out Boston's TD Garden — home of the NBA's Boston Celtics and NHL's Boston Bruins — for a game against the Fever earlier this season. The Fever were the only team in the league to average north of 13,000 fans last season, but this year they're one of three averaging at least 16,400 fans, according to Across the Timeline. They're joined by the Valkyries and the New York Liberty. The Liberty have seen a 29% increase in average attendance from last season, a 32-win campaign that ended in the franchise's first-ever WNBA championship. While New York has dealt with injuries to former league MVPs, first center Jonquel Jones and now forward Breanna Stewart, they are still poised to return to the playoffs. Only two of the 13 WNBA teams — the Atlanta Dream and Washington Mystics — are averaging fewer than 7,500 fans this year, per Across the Timeline, which reports that seven teams are averaging at least 10,000 fans in 2025. The WNBA is on the rise, and its attendance numbers reflect that growth.
USA Today
21 minutes ago
- USA Today
The Athletic predicts Florida football's SEC, regular-season outcomes ahead of 2025
College football returns this weekend with its Week 0 lineup, but the Gator Nation will have to wait until Week 1 before it gets its taste of the gridiron Gators. Ahead of the start of a much-anticipated campaign, The Athletic's Stewart Mandel cast his predictions for the SEC this fall, including Billy Napier's team. In it, he has the Orange and Blue splitting its conference games evenly at 4-4 while projecting a 7-5 finish to the regular-season schedule. "Billy Napier earned a reprieve after November upsets of LSU and Ole Miss propelled the Gators to an 8-5 finish. Lagway is bursting with talent," Mandel offers. "But those now mentioning Florida as a CFP candidate may be overreacting. All of the Gators' best performances were at home. This year they visit LSU, Miami, Texas A&M and Ole Miss." While his prediction would have Florida falling well short of a College Football Playoff berth, the fanbase could probably live with it after experiencing three straight losing seasons recently. Add another bowl victory to the pot and the Gators can finish on par with 2024 at 8-5 — not too shabby. The Athletic's 2025 preseason SEC football predictions Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
WNBA breaks 23-year-old regular-season attendance record, Golden State Valkyries help drive growth
The WNBA broke a 23-year-old regular-season attendance record this past Friday, as first reported by Front Office Sports. There are still three more weeks before the league calendar turns to the postseason. It took 215 games this year for the league to break its single-season total attendance record, which was set back in 2002. That year, the W totaled 2,364,736 total fans in attendance at a combined 256 games, according to data from Across the Timeline. As of Wednesday afternoon, 226 WNBA games have been played in 2025, and 2,488,011 fans have already attended. The introduction of the Golden State Valkyries — an expansion franchise and the W's 13th team — has played a role in the league taking another step forward in popularity. Playing in San Francisco's Chase Center, which also hosts the NBA's Golden State Warriors, the Valkyries have sold out all 17 of their home games so far, pulling in a league-best average of 18,064 fans. Under head coach Natalie Nakase, the Valkyries have vastly exceeded expectations in Year 1. They are currently 18-17, sitting in seventh place of the league standings with a shot at a playoff push. Golden State has stayed afloat, even after losing All-Star forward Kayla Thornton for the season last month. While the addition of the Valkyries has helped the W's numbers, it's important to note that the league's previous total attendance record was set when there were 16 teams. Behind Golden State on this year's WNBA average attendance leaderboard is the Indiana Fever, according to the same data set from Across the Timeline. The Fever have averaged approximately 16,747 fans in 2025. Indiana has remained popular despite superstar Caitlin Clark being sidelined with four different muscle injuries that have limited her to 13 games played, the latest a right groin issue that has kept her out since July 15. Still a fan magnet, the Fever have drawn large crowds on the road, too. For instance, the Connecticut Sun played in and sold out Boston's TD Garden — home of the NBA's Boston Celtics and NHL's Boston Bruins — for a game against the Fever earlier this season. The Fever were the only team in the league to average north of 13,000 fans last season, but this year they're one of three averaging at least 16,400 fans, according to Across the Timeline. They're joined by the Valkyries and the New York Liberty. The Liberty have have seen a 29% increase in average attendance from last season, a 32-win campaign that ended in the franchise's first-ever WNBA championship. While New York has dealt with injuries to former league MVPs, first center Jonquel Jones and now forward Breanna Stewart, they are still poised to return to the playoffs. Only two of the 13 WNBA teams — the Atlanta Dream and Washington Mystics — are averaging fewer than 7,500 fans this year, per Across the Timeline, which reports that seven teams averaging at least 10,000 fans in 2025. The WNBA is on the rise, and its attendance numbers reflect that growth.
