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Aces-Fever series helps make 1st round of WNBA playoffs most-watch ever

The WNBA’s 2024 playoff first round shattered viewership records, with the league averaging **1.3 million viewers** across all 10 games—a historic jump from the 1.1 million average in 2023. The surge was driven largely by the high-stakes **three-game series between the Las Vegas Aces and Indiana Fever**, which dominated ratings.

Game 1 on ABC drew **2.1 million viewers**, the highest single-game total in WNBA playoff history, while Game 3 became the most-watched first-round contest ever, peaking at **2.7 million** despite airing against Thursday Night Football. Even Game 2, streamed exclusively on Prime Video, pulled in **1.42 million**, underscoring the series’ broad appeal.

The Fever’s elimination in Game 3 didn’t dampen the excitement; the Aces’ victory cemented their semifinal spot while setting a new benchmark for playoff engagement, surpassing the previous record held by a 2024 Fever loss to the Connecticut Sun. With this year’s playoffs already on pace to exceed 2024’s totals, the league’s growing popularity appears unstoppable—even without its biggest star, Caitlin Clark, in the postseason.

Up nextWNBA· 2h ago

Indiana Fever vs. Aces Emerges on Top as First Round of WNBA Playoffs Achieves Historic Viewership Record