2025 WNBA Draft Ranks Second All-Time in Viewership Following Record-Breaking 2024
The 2025 WNBA Draft averaged 1.25 million viewers on ESPN, making it the second most-viewed WNBA Draft in history, according to Nielsen. Viewership peaked at 1.46 million, representing a 119% increase over 2023.
- Despite the strong performance, 2025 viewership trailed the record-setting 2024 WNBA Draft, which drew 2.45 million viewers and peaked at 3.09 million. The 2024 event was the most-viewed WNBA event ever on ESPN platforms and saw a 307% increase over the previous viewership high set in 2004. It also attracted 1.06 million women viewers, up 374% year over year, and was the most-watched program of the night among people under 35.Additional highlights from the 2025 WNBA Draft include:
- Most-viewed program across all TV (broadcast and cable) among men 18-34, men 18-49, and people 18-34
- Most-viewed cable program among men 25-54, people 18-49, and people 25-54
- “WNBA Countdown” averaged 647,000 viewers
Social media engagement also surged in 2024, with a 1,164% year-over-year increase, and “WNBA Countdown” posted its highest viewership ever. While 2025 did not match those record-breaking figures, it maintained strong momentum and ranked among the most-watched WNBA Drafts to date.
