WNBA Finals Ratings Surge; Aces Lead 2-0

Game 1 of the 2025 WNBA Finals between the Las Vegas Aces and Phoenix Mercury averaged 1.9 million viewers, peaked at about 2.5 million, and was the most-watched Finals opener since the league’s inaugural 1997 championship. Through two games the series is averaging roughly 1.5 million viewers — the best two-game average since 2000 — and broader playoff and WNBA Countdown gains underscore rising interest in the league. Las Vegas holds a 2-0 lead after an 89-86 Game 1, which featured 12 lead changes, a 41-16 advantage from the Aces’ bench, A’ja Wilson’s 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Jackie Young’s late free throws after Satou Sabally’s tying three rimmed out. The Aces followed with a 91-78 Game 2 win, paced by Young’s 32 points and Wilson’s 28 and 14 rebounds. The Finals shift to Phoenix for Game 3, which will face heavy broadcast competition from baseball and NHL openings, and the ratings surge has strengthened players’ leverage in ongoing collective bargaining talks.