Liberty vs. Aces Sets WNBA Ratings Record

The New York Liberty's victory over the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday drew significant viewership for ESPN. The broadcast averaged 701,000 viewers and peaked at 813,000, making it the most-watched ESPN WNBA regular season game not involving the Indiana Fever since 1999.

The Liberty won the game at Barclays Center with a final score of 87-78. Despite missing key players like Natasha Cloud and Jonquel Jones due to injury, the game featured high stakes as the latest chapter in the rivalry between the two teams, who have won the last three WNBA championships (Aces in 2022 and 2023, Liberty in 2023).

The game showcased several WNBA All-Stars, including Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart. Aces star A'ja Wilson left the game at halftime with a wrist injury. Jackie Young stepped up for Las Vegas with 19 points, but Ionescu's near triple-double performance (28 points, 8 assists, 8 rebounds) led New York to their second win over the Aces this season.

This high viewership continues a trend of record ratings for the WNBA this season, often attributed to Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever, but the success extends beyond them, with this champions' showdown being a prime example.

New York and Las Vegas will face each other one more time in the regular season, with the Liberty visiting Las Vegas on August 13th, a game that will also be broadcast on ESPN.