ESPN today announced that Women’s Sports Sundays presented by TJ Maxx delivered strong audiences across the WNBA and Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) on Sunday, July 5, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel.
The Indiana Fever vs. Las Vegas Aces matchup on Sunday, July 5, averaged 1.6 million viewers on ESPN, peaking with 1.8 million viewers. The audience was up 53% versus ESPN’s WNBA regular-season average from last season and up 3% compared to last season’s Indiana Fever average on ESPN.
WNBA Countdown averaged 499,000 viewers, an increase of 47% versus ESPN’s WNBA regular-season average from last season.
Sunday’s Portland Cascade vs. Oklahoma City Spark AUSL matchup averaged 324,000 viewers on ESPN, up 41% from ESPN’s AUSL average last season.
Combined, Sunday’s Women’s Sports Sundays doubleheader featuring the WNBA and AUSL averaged 947,000 viewers across ESPN.
Through 10 games, WNBA games across ESPN networks are averaging 1.3 million viewers, up 6% compared to the same point last season. Through 10 games, the 2026 AUSL season is averaging 204,000 viewers, up 213% from the same timeframe last season.
Women’s Sports Sundays continues this Sunday, July 12, with WNBA Countdown at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by the Chicago Sky vs. Dallas Wings at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, Disney+ and ESPN Deportes.
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ESPN media contacts: santa.brito@espn.com, alex.feuz@espn.com.