ESPN2 earned mixed numbers for the final two games of the 2011 WNBA Finals.
The Lynx’ series-clinching Game 3 win over the Dream in the WNBA Finals, quite possibly the final professional basketball game of 2011, earned a 0.33 U.S. rating and 600,000 viewers on ESPN2 Friday night — down 13% in ratings but up 10% in viewership from last year (SEA/ATL G3: 0.38, 545K), and up 14% and 54%, respectively, from 2009 (PHX/IND G3: 0.29, 389K).
Last year’s Game 3, also the deciding game of the series, aired on a Thursday night. The 2009 Game 3 aired on a Sunday afternoon opposite the NFL.
Game 3 ranks as the most-viewed WNBA Finals game since Fever/Mercury Game 5 in 2009 (656K).
Two nights earlier, Game 2 of the series earned a 0.33 and 447,000 viewers on ESPN2, down 6% in ratings and 8% in viewership from last year (ATL/SEA G2: 0.35, 487K).
The series as a whole averaged 515,000 viewers on ESPN and ESPN2, up 4% from last year (SEA/ATL: 495K) and down 6% from 2009 (PHX/IND: 548K).
Ratings/Viewership For 2011 WNBA Finals
With comparisons to 2010 and 2009
|
Gm #
|
Year
|
Date
|
Game
|
Series
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
2011 |
Sun., 10/2/11
|
ATL 74, MIN 88
|
MIN 1-0
|
ESPN
|
0.30
|
491
|
| 2010 | Sun., 9/12/10 | ATL 77, SEA 79 |
SEA 1-0
|
ABC |
0.33
|
450
|
|
| 2009 | Tue., 9/29/09 | IND 116, PHX 120 |
PHX 1-0
|
ESPN2 |
0.37
|
550
|
|
|
2
|
2011 |
Wed., 10/5/11
|
ATL 95, MIN 101
|
MIN 2-0
|
ESPN2
|
0.33
|
447
|
| 2010 | Tue., 9/14/10 | ATL 84, SEA 87 |
SEA 2-0
|
ESPN2 |
0.35
|
487
|
|
| 2009 | Thu., 10/1/09 | IND 93, PHX 84 |
TIE 1-1
|
ESPN2 |
0.35
|
—
|
|
|
3
|
2011 |
Fri., 10/7/11
|
MIN 73, ATL 67
|
MIN 3-0
|
ESPN2
|
0.33
|
600
|
| 2010 | Thu., 9/16/10 | SEA 87, ATL 84 |
SEA 3-0
|
ESPN2 |
0.38
|
545
|
|
| 2009 | Sun., 10/4/09 | PHX 85, IND 86 |
IND 2-1
|
ESPN2 |
0.29
|
389
|
Viewership For WNBA Finals Dating Back to 2008
(This year’s numbers from ESPN; additional information from espnmediazone3.com)
