The fifth game of the WNBA Finals recorded the highest viewership in 25 years

It was a big finish to the 2024 WNBA season.

Game five of this year's WNBA Finals between the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty was the most-watched WNBA Finals game in 25 years across all networks, according to ESPN, citing Nielsen data. The game was broadcast on ESPN and peaked at 3.3 million viewers.

The viewership numbers for Game 5 are particularly impressive considering the competition for attention on Sunday night. Both the National Football League's “Sunday Night Football” and Major League Baseball's National League Championship Series aired simultaneously.

Viewership for the entire WNBA Finals series more than doubled compared to last year, a continuation of the growing popularity of the WNBA and women's sports in general.

This year's finale was helped even more by a close battle between a perennial WNBA powerhouse in the Lynx and a previously championship-less contender in the Liberty. Four of the five games were decided by 5 points or less and two games, including the final, went to overtime. The Liberty finally prevailed and won in front of their home crowd with 67:62.

The impressive viewership caps a WNBA season that has seen viewership, engagement and attendance increase across the board.

The league also just finalized a new media rights deal negotiated as part of the National Basketball Association's agreement with broadcast partners. The leagues' new contract is worth $2.2 billion over 11 seasons, with an agreement to reevaluate terms after the 2028 season, CNBC previously reported.

And there's still room for improvement for the WNBA: Several new teams will debut over the next few seasons, with the Golden State Valkyries set to begin play in the 2025 season. Next year will also feature 44 regular season games instead of 40 and a finale with seven games instead of five.

The Women's National Basketball Players Association announced Monday that it was withdrawing from the collective bargaining agreement it previously reached with the league. According to the Associated Press, the current CBA will remain in effect for the 2025 season.