Caitlin Clark Powers WNBA on ION to 133% Viewership Surge, Reaching 23.37 Million Fans in 2024

CINCINNATI, Sept. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — In 2024, viewership for the State Farm WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on ION saw a significant 133% increase compared to 2023, drawing 23.37 million unique viewers for games and wrap shows. The male demographic (ages 25-54) surged by 181%.

The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) and the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) have concluded the second year of their multi-year agreement, which features weekly Friday night double-headers in primetime on ION. ION, a national sports and entertainment network, is available over-the-air and through major pay TV and connected TV services.

ION broadcasted a WNBA-high 43 regular-season games and 67 hours of regular-season content, including a new studio show airing around the games. Scripps Sports also introduced a new studio designed specifically for WNBA broadcasts on ION.

Key highlights from “WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on ION” Season 2:

– The average viewership for WNBA games on ION reached 670,000 P2+ viewers, marking a 133% increase from 2023.
– The total reach of 23.37 million viewers was up from 12.3 million last year, with 9.46 million P2+ viewers tuning in exclusively to ION. (One-minute qualifier Live+SD; excludes repeat broadcasts and ESPND)
– Seven telecasts surpassed an average of 1 million viewers, including the Aug. 30 games between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky, and the Minnesota Lynx and Dallas Wings, which together averaged 1.6 million viewers and peaked at 1.92 million.
– ION had the highest percentage of female viewers among networks airing WNBA games this season, with 50% of the P18-49 audience and 45% of the P2+ audience being female.
– Over 3.7 million hours of viewing were delivered through various platforms, including Roku, Samsung TV+, LG, Vizio, Xumo, Plex, Amazon Fire Channels, Pluto, CW, and Tablo.
– Scripps added over 20 new advertisers as viewership soared in the second year of WNBA broadcasts on ION.
– Social media engagement for the WNBA on ION saw substantial growth, generating over 100 million impressions on Instagram, X, and Facebook through collaborations with players, teams, and the league.

Brian Lawlor, Scripps Sports president, commented, “This season marked a major advancement for the WNBA in terms of visibility on both arenas and television. It was exciting to see the momentum build, and Scripps is proud to be part of it.”

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert added, “We are thrilled with the success of our partnership with Scripps Sports, which has significantly enhanced the reach and visibility of the WNBA season. This collaboration has allowed us to present outstanding basketball to a wider audience, strengthening our connection with fans and achieving record-breaking viewership.