WNBA All-Star Weekend sets all kinds of viewership history
The WNBA is gaining steam in terms of popularity and attention. Television ratings for the league have steadily increased over the past year, and this year's All-Star weekend continued that trend. The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game was the second-highest watched All-Star game ever for the league, per ESPN.
ESPN released a graphic that showed viewership was up 158 percent from the 2023 game. About 2.2 million people watched the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game on television and streaming services.
The WNBA Skills Challenge and 3-point Contest also drew in big numbers. TV viewership was up 89 percent from last year, ESPN said. It was the highest-rated skills contest and 3-point challenge ever on TV for the league.
The skills contest also was the most-viewed program across all TV in primetime for people under 35 years of age, per ESPN.
This is obviously very good news for the league. The WNBA has lost money consistently since its inception, but there is hope that the league's growing popularity will turn it into a profitable enterprise.
Caitlin Clark sat out WNBA All-Star Game activities
One of the WNBA's biggest stars is Caitlin Clark, who plays for the Indiana Fever. Due to an injury, Clark sat out All-Star weekend festivities. Even without her on the floor, the league was able to get plenty of eyes on their festivities.
The 2025 All-Star Game was not able to match the viewership ratings though of last year's game. Many believe that is because Clark wasn't able to suit up. She still appeared on the TV broadcast, even though she didn't officially play.
'Caitlin Clark effect manifests itself in 2 ways: Anything with Clark, then without, drops hard. NCAA title game -54%. Draft -49%. All-Star -36%. Regular-season -50% during her time out (but still up for 2025),' Sports Business Journal reporter Austin Karp wrote on X, formerly Twitter. 'Numbers even without Caitlin well above years before her arrival.'
In the All-Star Game, Team Collier won 151-131 over Team Clark. Napheesa Collier led her team with 36 points. Kelsey Mitchell had 20 points to lead Team Clark.
WNBA fans hope this trend continues flowing in the right direction.
Related: WNBA rumors: Why financial losses are irrelevant in CBA negotiations
Related: 2025 WNBA midseason awards tracker
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