• WNBA fandom rose across the board: sports fans, men, women, all age groups
• Americans say, “The WNBA Deserves More Coverage!” And Capitalizes on Its New Stars
The WNBA’s 2024 season marked unprecedented growth in fan interest, fueled by breakout rookie Caitlin Clark and other rising stars. A Seton Hall Sports Poll reveals double-digit increases across fan demographics, signaling a new era of visibility and enthusiasm for women’s basketball.
How interested, if at all, are you in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA)? Please select your level of interest (October vs. March 2024).
Note: October 2024 numbers are in black with change from March 2024 are shown in green (positive) and red (negative).
Further insights from the WNBA Fandom table include:
- Double-digit increases for “Top Interest” and “Somewhat Interested” fans since March 2024 for the general population (+10), sports fans (+13), avid fans (+11), casual fans (+14), females (+12), people 55+ (+16), and men & women
- All segments increased, including Males (+9), people 18-34 (+5), and 35-54 (+7)
- The inverse is also true as “Not at All Interested” decreases in fan interest dropped for the same subgroups
“The WNBA has been adding generational talent like Caitlin Clark for a few seasons now, and these stars are compelling on the court,” said Charles Grantham, Director of the Center of Sport Management in the Stillman School of Business at Seton Hall University. “Just like what Michael Jordan did for the NBA and Wayne Gretzky did for the NHL, big stars drive high fan interest, and this is all positive for the WNBA’s future. So, it comes as no surprise that the WNBA players have decided to opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement.”
These were among the findings of a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted October 25-28 among 1,500 adults across the country. The poll, which is sponsored by Seton Hall University’s Stillman School of Business and the Sharkey Institute featured a national representative sample from YouGov Plc weighted on U.S. Census Bureau figures for age, gender, ethnicity, education, income and geography and has a margin of error of +/-3 percent.
Stars on the Court
Caitlin Clark broke 11 WNBA records in her rookie season, so it should be no surprise that the American public indicated she was the most popular WNBA player. Brittney Griner and Angel Reese are the next two most well-known WNBA players in the league.
Which of the following WNBA players do you know? Check all that apply.
Further insights into this question include:
- Caitlin Clark, Brittney Griner, and Angel Reese are the most popular among the general population, WNBA Fans and Sports Fans
- Breanna Stewart and Diana Taurasi are the next two most popular WNBA players
- Who’s Next? A’ja Wilson, Alyssa Thomas, and Sabrina Ionescu are all mentioned by more than 1 in 4 WNBA fans
The WNBA is Poised To Grow
The WNBA fanbase grew this season, especially in the coveted 18-34 age subgroup. The popularity of the new stars in the WNBA contributes to the growth story where nearly 3 of 5 Americans declare themselves WNBA fans (57%) and precisely half of the avid fans said they have spent more time following WNBA in 2024 than in 2023. The U.S. Olympic team winning the gold medal also aided in this increase fan in interest by a 2:1 margin among WNBA fans.
During the 2024 WNBA season, I spent more time following (e.g. attending, watching, reading, etc.) WNBA games and players than the previous season (2023).
The success of the U.S. Women’s Basketball Team winning the gold medal at the 2024 Olympics Summer games in Paris increased my interest in following (e.g. attending, watching, reading, etc.) WNBA games and players.
Further insights from these questions include:
- The 18-34 subgroup grew the most with 43% saying they spent more time with the WNBA this season
- More than half of the same 18-34 subgroup (53%) say they gained interest due to the gold medal win by the United States
WNBA is in High Demand
The pressure is on both the league and its media partners to supply more WNBA live, pre-game, and post-game coverage in 2025. The fans clearly want more. The demand by youthful fans is also trending positively for the WNBA. Nearly half (49%) of the general population, 59% of sports fans, 68% of avid fans, and an impressive 79% of WNBA fans believe the WNBA deserves more visibility including live and post-game coverage next season.
In the next WNBA season (summer 2025), the WNBA deserves more live and post-game coverage and visibility (e.g. prime-time games on major networks and coverage in the national sports press).
Further insights into this question include:
- The 79% result among WNBA fans is the highest percentage within any subgroup in this WNBA poll
- The 18-34 age group (again) leads the charge with 3 in 5 fans wanting more coverage
- Exactly half of the 35-54 age group want more coverage of the WNBA in 2025
“New WNBA stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese can build their brands and at the same time, help the WNBA build its brand as well,” said Daniel Ladik, marketing professor in the Stillman School and chief methodologist to the Poll. “For 2025, I could easily envision new marketing partnerships for the new WNBA stars that benefit everyone: the advertisers, the athletes and the league.”
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ABOUT THE POLL
The Seton Hall Sports Poll, conducted regularly since 2006, is performed by the Sharkey Institute within the Stillman School of Business. The poll is run by Charles Grantham, Professor of Sport Management and former Executive Director of the National Basketball Players Association. Professor Daniel Ladik is the Methodologist for the Seton Hall Sports Poll, and Associate Professor Marketing in the Stillman School of Business at Seton Hall University. Len DeLuca is the associate director for the poll. The SHSP aims to explore a broader overview of sports issues including the Ethics of Sport, the Culture of Sport, and the Business of Sport. This poll was conducted online by YouGov Plc. using a national representative sample weighted according to gender, age, ethnicity, education, income and geography, based on U.S. Census Bureau figures. Respondents were selected from YouGov’s opt-in panel to be representative of all U.S residents. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls. The Seton Hall Sports Poll has been chosen for inclusion in iPoll by Cornell’s Roper Center for Public Opinion Research and its findings have been published everywhere from USA Today, ESPN, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, AP, and Reuters to CNBC, NPR, Yahoo Finance, Fox News and many points in between.
Media: Laurie Pine, Director of Media Relations, Seton Hall University (973) 378-2638; (973) 902-8060
Daniel Ladik, Ph.D., Chief Methodologist – daniel.ladik@shu.edu
October 2024 Seton Hall Sports Poll Results
Daniel Ladik, Ph.D., Chief Methodologist – daniel.ladik@shu.edu
This Seton Hall Sports Poll was conducted from October 25th to 28th and includes responses from 1,500 U.S. adults with a margin of error of +/- 3.0%. The sample mirrors the U.S. Census percentage on age, gender, income, education, ethnicity, and region.
Q1. Which of the following statements best describes you?
*Note: Avid + Casual = total sports fandom in the data. Some tables break out the Avid and Casual segments.
Q9. How interested, if at all, are you in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA)? Please select your level of interest (October 2024).
Q9. How interested, if at all, are you in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA)? Please select your level of interest (March 2024).
Combined October 2024 and March 2024 tables. Note: October 2024 numbers are in black with change from March 2024 are shown in green (positive) and red (negative).
Q7. Which of the following WNBA players do you know? Check all that apply.
Q8a. During the 2024 WNBA season, I spent more time following (e.g. attending, watching, reading, etc.) WNBA games and players than the previous season (2023).
Q8b. The success of the U.S. Women’s Basketball Team winning the gold medal at the 2024 Olympics Summer games in Paris increased my interest in following (e.g. attending, watching, reading, etc.) WNBA games and players.
Q8c. In the next WNBA season (summer 2025), the WNBA deserves more live and post-game coverage and visibility (e.g. prime-time games on major networks and coverage in the national sports press).
ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY
One of the country’s leading Catholic universities, Seton Hall has been showing the world what great minds can do since 1856. Home to nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students and offering more than 90 rigorous majors, Seton Hall’s academic excellence has been singled out for distinction by The Princeton Review, US News & World Report and Bloomberg Businessweek. Seton Hall, which embraces students of all religions, prepares its graduates to be exemplary servant leaders and caring global citizens. Its attractive main campus is located in suburban South Orange, New Jersey, and is only 14 miles by train, bus or car to New York City, offering a wealth of employment, internship, cultural and entertainment opportunities. A new independent economic analysis of the University found that Seton Hall provides a significant impact on New Jersey’s economy, totaling over $1.6 billion annually and creating and sustaining nearly 10,000 jobs. The university’s nationally recognized School of Law is prominently located in downtown Newark. The University’s Interprofessional Health Sciences (IHS) campus in Clifton and Nutley, New Jersey, houses Seton Hall’s College of Nursing, its School of Health and Medical Sciences as well as Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine.