Women’s professional basketball pushed Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese off the scene in late September. Fans and front offices will worry about the WNBA’s looming CBA situation later. There are some huge milestones worth recognizing now. Specifically, some WNBA champions took center stage over the last week of October and set records the headlining rookies can only dream of achieving. Game 5 between the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty on ESPN set WNBA Finals records to cap the league’s 25th season, per the broadcasting giant.
A series-deciding Game 5 peaked at over three million fans on a Sunday evening usually dominated by the NFL and MLB Playoffs. Approximately 2.2 million basketball fans were focused on Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart. The five-game series had four meetings decided by one or two possessions. Everything seemingly came down to the wire, including a 67-62 Liberty win in overtime to take the title.
Rating went through the roof though, to the tune of a 142% increase over last season’s crown-clinching Game 4 win by the Las Vegas Aces. This is wonderful news for the WNBA following the signing of a new broadcasting deal worth $2.2 billion over 11 seasons. Expansion is bringing in more teams, the league will be playing more regular season games, and stars will have more opportunities to shine during the summer. Well, everyone except the referee-blasting Lynx.
Liberty, Lynx WNBA Finals tainted by controversy
The Liberty’s first franchise title came with a bit of controversy but no one in New York is complaining. However, hoops fans in Minnesota might go blind with rage yelling about the officiating all offseason. The Lynx reiterated that in the locker room following the loss. Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride were two of many within the organization who could not keep quiet about feeling robbed of a ring.
Related NewsArticle continues below
“That loss is something I’ll never get over, to have it end that way, where it just feels super unjust,” Collier admitted. “I don’t think that is something to get over. It’s different if you feel like you lose a game.”
“The chips fell as they did, but I don’t think I’ll ever get over it. It’s hard to replay in your mind,” McBride added. “It’s definitely going to sting for a while.”
Fans in the Land of 10,000 Lakes will feel a very cold sting for a while, sure. The league’s executives will see these viewership numbers and the controversy in a far different light.