The WNBA has surpassed its regular-season attendance record, achieving this milestone with over a month still left to play. According to Across the Timeline, the league exceeded the previous all-time attendance figure of 2,364,736 fans, which was set in 2002, after only 215 games—41 fewer than the total games played during that record season.
This momentum projects a total attendance surpassing 3.15 million by season’s end on September 11, representing a remarkable 33% increase compared to last year. This surge reflects growing fan engagement across the league despite various challenges.
Attendance Leads: The Influence of Caitlin Clark Amid Her Injury Absence
The Indiana Fever currently hold the highest attendance figures in the league, having drawn more than 300,000 fans through their 18 home games. This achievement is particularly notable given that Caitlin Clark, widely recognized as a catalyst for the WNBA’s rising popularity, has missed 22 of Indiana’s 35 games due to injury.
In response to increasing demand, several teams plan to use larger venues in 2025, often for matchups involving Indiana. For instance, Washington will host the Fever at the 14,000-seat CFG Bank Arena on September 7. Similarly, the Las Vegas Aces are set to play three September games at the 18,000-capacity T-Mobile Arena, including two matches against Chicago and one against Minnesota.
Despite Clark’s frequent absence this season, the Fever’s attendance remains the league’s best, underscoring her enduring impact on fan interest.
Other franchises are also enjoying strong crowd support. The Golden State Valkyries, a 2025 expansion team, have sold out all 16 of their home games, attracting 289,024 fans to the Chase Center. Meanwhile, the New York Liberty has increased its average game attendance by 29% compared to last year and already exceeded their entire 2024 total with three games remaining.
Growing Audience Brings Increased Pressure on League Negotiations
This significant attendance surge arrives as the WNBA faces crucial negotiations on its new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Players are demanding higher salaries and a more equitable revenue-sharing arrangement, noting that current revenue distribution to players stands at just 9.3%, far below the NBA’s 50% share.
With record-setting attendance, expanded merchandise sales, and a $2.2 billion media rights deal set to begin next year, players assert that the league can afford to raise salaries.
“I think we’re just asking for fairness,”
WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike said during the All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis.
“We want to be able to have our salaries reflected in a structure that makes sense for us.”
—Nneka Ogwumike, WNBPA President
In a visible show of support during the 2025 All-Star Game warm-ups, WNBA players wore
“Pay Us What You Owe Us”
T-shirts.
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has emphasized the league’s commitment to enhancing player compensation while maintaining financial sustainability.
“We want to significantly increase their salary and benefits,”
Engelbert stated before the All-Star Game,
“But we also have to have a path to profitability.”
—Cathy Engelbert, WNBA Commissioner
The current CBA expires this October, and mounting attendance figures add weight to the players’ calls for change as the league balances growth with long-term financial planning.