Professional women’s basketball is breaking records this season. The WNBA reported Monday that its 2024 season opening month saw record growth in May for attendance and viewership.

What You Need To Know

  • The WNBA opened its 28th season with its highest attended opening month in 26 years

  • It was the most watched season start ever

  • The WNBA's 28th season began May 14

  • Viewership among people of color grew 60% year over year

“What’s happening now in women’s basketball is confirmation of what we’ve always known: The demand is there, and women’s sports is a valuable investment,” WNBA Chief Growth Officer Colie Edison said in a statement.

After tipping off May 14, the league finished the month with its highest attendance in 26 years and highest viewership ever since the league began 28 years ago.

Viewership was especially strong among people of color, with Hispanic and Black fans growing 96% and 67% year over year. During Tip-Off Week, viewers under the age of 35 also saw a 124% spike in growth, while diverse audiences drove WNBA app usage 613% higher compared with last year.

The WNBA attributed the record-breaking numbers to this season’s rookie class, including the Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark, Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese and Los Angeles Sparks’s Cameron Brink. The three players ranked in the league’s top five for jersey sales during the 2024 season’s first week, pushing WNBA merchandise sales 236% higher than a year earlier.