Candace Parker‘s stellar debut gave the WNBA a needed boost.
The opening game of the WNBA season drew a 0.9 overnight rating on ABC Saturday afternoon, up 50% from a 0.6 last year. The 0.9 overnight is the highest for a WNBA season opener since 2004, when the debut of Diana Taurasi drew a 1.0.
The WNBA game finished with the lowest overnight rating for any live sporting event on ABC, NBC or CBS. Overnight ratings for FOX were unavailable.
Overnight ratings for WNBA season opening game.
0.9: Sparks/Mercury (Sat., 5/17, 3:30 PM ABC)
0.6: Monarchs/Shock (Sat., 5/19, 3:30 PM ABC)
0.7: Mercury/Monarchs (Sat., 5/20, 4 PM ABC)
0.7: Sparks/Storm (Sat., 5/21, 4 PM ABC)
1.0: Mercury/Sun (Sat., 5/22, 4 PM ABC)
