WNBA Announces Finals News After Liberty's Historic Win
10/22/2024 11:09 PM
The WNBA will have to go back to the drawing board after the players voted to opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) before its expiration in 2027.
The Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) is seeking a more equitable system that would provide the players with higher salaries and better benefits amid the WNBA's continued rise.
The WNBPA said the CBA should reflect the league's exponential growth, especially since the players were a huge part of it. The league witnessed increased numbers in viewership this season.
On Tuesday, ESPN reported that Game 5 between the New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday was the most-watched WNBA Finals game since 1999, raking in 2.15 million viewers.
"It was the fourth-largest audience ever for a WNBA Finals game, with the other three all broadcast on NBC," added ESPN.
The previous high was the deciding Game 3 between the Liberty and the Houston Comets in 1999, which had 3.25 million viewers.
Overall, this year's playoffs were also the most-watched in 25 years.
Game 5 between the Liberty and the Lynx has been the topic of much discussion due to the alleged questionable officiating. Fans have called out the WNBA for supposedly favoring the Liberty, who won their first-ever championship.
Despite the anemic shooting of Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu, the Liberty did enough in overtime to stave off Napheesa Collier and the Lynx, 67-62, and claim the much-coveted title.
Game 4 also drew a lot of eyes, generating 1.7 million viewers, according to ESPN.
Related: Lynx Star's Subtle Dig at WNBA Finals Referees Catches Trae Young's Attention
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