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The WNBA and NHL have been a subject of debate among fans lately, thanks to a recent comparison of their viewership ratings. The discussion began on a Reddit thread, where users fervently shared their opinions.
"The WNBA on ESPN averaged about 546,000 viewers per game. The NHL on ABC and ESPN averaged about 583,000 viewers per game. WNBA ratings were up 46%, while N.H.L ratings were down 22%."
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One passionate NHL fan expressed frustration over the league's broadcasting restrictions.
"Part of this is the nhl is ridiculous and stupid when it comes to TV. I can't watch a team , which is owned by rogers , on rogers television , because of regional blackout restrictions. Fuck*n ridiculous. Even If you pay for the extra hockey channels. They literally made it impossible to pay them to watch their team on their Channel"
Another viewpoint brought forth was the perceived lack of popularity and seriousness attributed to the WNBA.
"I don’t know a single person who watches the WNBA or even takes the league seriously. I have seen plenty of hockey fans though."
However, a counterpoint arose, shedding light on the context of the comparison. One fan astutely pointed out:
"When ESPN shows WNBA games, they are usually the only WNBA game playing that night. So they don’t have competition from other games a WNBA fan might want to watch. That’s not true with the N.H.L. It is mostly those teams fans that watch it as other locally broadcast games cannibalize their audience. This isn’t really a good comparison."
The Reddit discussion exemplified the diverse opinions held by fans regarding the WNBA and the rating comparison.
More on NHL and WNBA ratings
In a comparison of viewership ratings, both the WNBA and the NHL have seen shifts in their popularity among fans. The WNBA's games on ESPN, for instance, have seen a noteworthy increase in viewership, with an average of 546,000 viewers per game in the first half of the season. This marks an 18% increase from the same period in the previous year.
Notably, the women's national championship game between LSU and Iowa also drew a massive audience of 9.9 million viewers, making it the most-watched women's college basketball game in history.
On the National Hockey League's side, regular-season games aired on ESPN and ABC saw an average of 583,000 viewers. However, this figure indicated a slight decrease of 2% compared to the previous year. While ABC experienced a significant 19% increase in viewership, the ESPN cable networks were responsible for the decline.
