The Jonas Brothers have rescheduled their concert at the PHX Arena from Sunday night to Monday, September 29, at 7:30 p.m., due to a critical Game 4 between the Phoenix Mercury and Minnesota Lynx. Game 3 is slated for Friday at 6:30 p.m., with Game 4 on Sunday at 5 p.m., showcasing the thriving appeal of the WNBA.
Over the past year, the WNBA has witnessed unprecedented attention. Last season alone, the league amassed a record-breaking 54 million unique viewers across various networks including ABC, CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, ION, and NBA TV. A significant part of this surge was thanks to the popularity of star Caitlin Clark. Yet, the current season highlights the league’s growing appeal beyond individual players, underscoring the quality of the games themselves.
In August, the WNBA made headlines announcing that its 13 teams combined had attracted over 2.5 million fans across 226 games, surpassing the attendance records of 2002. Notably, 256 games were required back then to set such a milestone with 16 teams in the league. With the season still in progress, projections suggest the league will easily surpass the 3 million fans mark.
Even with Caitlin Clark participating in a limited 13 games this season, the league recorded an uplift in viewership, averaging 969,000 viewers, which represents a 3% increase over the previous year. This rise highlights the increasing respect and enthusiasm for women’s basketball on its own terms.
A thrilling Game 1 between the Phoenix Mercury and Minnesota Lynx captured prominent attention, with 716,000 viewers, marking it as the most-watched WNBA semifinal on ESPN since 1999.
Looking ahead, Phoenix Mercury faces a pivotal Game 3, having faced challenges in Game 2, initially trailing by a significant margin. Kathryn Westbeld’s impactful entry in the latter half of the game reversed the Mercury’s fortunes, cutting the lead to 8 points and reshaping the game narrative.
With the comfort of playing at home, evidenced by their 15-7 record, the Phoenix Mercury holds the advantage in the coming matches at Phoenix Arena, re-enforcing the robust fan support and the league’s expanding brand. This scenario poses a compelling question: Can the Lynx regain their dominance in Game 3? The unfolding series provides captivating entertainment for WNBA followers and fans broadly.