Wings vs Fever 2.5 million viewers

ESPN said on May 13 that the Dallas Wings’ 107-104 win over the Indiana Fever on May 9 averaged 2.5 million viewers on ABC, citing Nielsen Big Data + Panel. The network said the opening-weekend matchup became the second most-watched WNBA regular-season game ever across ESPN networks. ESPN also said it ranked as the third most-watched WNBA game across its networks when regular season and postseason telecasts are combined. The game opened ESPN’s 2026 WNBA regular-season coverage and featured Indiana’s Caitlin Clark against Dallas rookies Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd. ### Which game drew the audience ESPN is highlighting? The May 9 telecast was Dallas at Indiana, scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on ABC as part of the WNBA Tip Off Presented by CarMax doubleheader, according to ESPN’s April schedule release. ESPN billed the game as a showcase for four recent No. 1 overall picks: Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd. (espnpressroom.com) ESPN’s 2026 schedule page lists the result as Dallas 107, Indiana 104. The box-score summary on the schedule page lists Arike Ogunbowale with 22 points for Dallas and Kelsey Mitchell with 30 for Indiana. ### How does 2.5 million compare with other WNBA games on ESPN networks? ESPN said Wings-Fever trails only two games in its own WNBA history across regular season and playoffs: Sky-Fever on opening weekend in 2025 with 2.7 million viewers, and Fever-Sun Round 1 Game 2 on Sept. 25, 2024 with 2.54 million. (espnpressroom.com) The network said that places Wings-Fever third overall across ESPN networks and second among regular-season games. (espn.com) Sports Media Watch separately reported the audience at 2.49 million viewers and said the telecast was the fourth-largest WNBA audience since 2000 when including playoff and All-Star telecasts. ESPN’s release rounded the figure to 2.5 million. ### What else did ESPN say about opening weekend? (espnpressroom.com) Saturday’s opening-weekend doubleheader on ABC averaged 1.9 million viewers, making it the second most-watched WNBA opening weekend across ESPN networks, ESPN said. The network also said “WNBA Countdown” at 12:30 p.m. ET averaged 956,000 viewers, up 19% from last year’s season-debut episode and up 40% from last season’s regular-season average on ABC. (sportsmediawatch.com) A separate “WNBA Countdown” window between games averaged 1.5 million viewers from 3:23 p.m. to 3:48 p.m. ET, ESPN said. Those figures were included in the same May 13 audience release. ### Why was this particular opener one of ESPN’s marquee windows? (espnpressroom.com) ESPN’s April announcement put Dallas-Indiana in one of the league’s highest-profile broadcast slots, on ABC in the season’s opening weekend. The network said the matchup would feature Clark’s first game since July 15 and the first game for Dallas’ new core of Fudd, Bueckers and four-time All-Star Ogunbowale. (espnpressroom.com) Forbes’ opening-weekend preview also listed the game among the season’s nationally televised headline matchups, alongside other appearances by stars including A’ja Wilson and Angel Reese. ### Where did the 2.5 million figure come from? ESPN attributed the audience measurement to Nielsen Big Data + Panel in its May 13 press release. (espnpressroom.com) The same wording was reproduced by other outlets that carried the release. (forbes.com) The Source published a story on May 16 that cited the same ESPN-reported number, but ESPN’s own release was posted three days earlier on May 13. ### What comes next on the schedule? ESPN’s schedule page shows Indiana at Los Angeles on May 13 on USA Network, while ESPN’s broader 2026 WNBA schedule continues with ABC and ESPN windows through the regular season. (espnpressroom.com) The April schedule release said ESPN and ABC would carry a record 26 regular-season games in 2026. (espn.com) (thesource.com)