Liberty vs. Aces Sets WNBA Ratings Record
The New York Liberty's recent tilt against the Las Vegas Aces hit a ratings jackpot for ESPN.
Per Madeline Kenney of the New York Post, Tuesday's ESPN broadcast of the most recent WNBA champions drew a peak of 813,000 and and average of 701,000. That, Kenney says, stands as the most-watched WNBA regular season game on the Worldwide Leader's airwaves that did not involve the Indiana Fever (best-known for carrying Caitlin Clark on their roster) since 1999.
The numbers from last night’s nationally televised Aces-Liberty game are in: The Liberty win averaged 701K viewers, peaking at 813K on ESPN.
— Madeline Kenney (@madkenney) July 9, 2025
It was the most-watched non-Indiana WNBA game on ESPN (E1) since 1999
New York won Tuesday's game by an 87-78 final at Barclays Center.
Despite some missing starpower, including that of injured Liberty starters Natasha Cloud and Jonquel Jones, there was no shortage of storylines in Tuesday's game, the latest chapter in the ongoing New York-Las Vegas rivalry.
The Liberty and Aces, for example, have captured each of the last three WNBA titles, with Las Vegas winning in 2022 and 2023 before the Liberty earned their first postseason championship last fall. The Aces defeated the Liberty in the 2023 Finals before New York took revenge with a four-game in last year's semifinal set en route to the fateful win over the Minnesota Lynx.
The game featured four players set to partake in the upcoming WNBA All-Star Game, including seafoam standouts Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart. Another, Las Vegas' three-time MVP A'ja Wilson, was lost to a wrist injury after the first half but her Aces lingered in the game thanks in part to a 19-point showing from Jackie Young. That wasn't enough to counter a sterling showing from Ionescu, who flirted with a triple-double to the tune of 28 points and eight assists/rebounds each en route to New York's second victory over Las Vegas this season.
The WNBA and its television partners have seen new viewership landmarks rise at several points of this season, many of which can be attributed to Clark, Indiana's sophomore superstar that stands as the face of the modern Association. Success beyond Clark, however, has likewise surfaced and the showdown between champions is but the latest example.
New York and Las Vegas are set to do battle one more time this season, with the Liberty making their lone trip to Sin City on Aug. 13. In a welcome sign for Bristol, the game will once again be carried by ESPN.
Geoff Magliocchetti is a veteran sportswriter who contributes to a variety of sites on the "On SI" network. In addition to the Yankees/Mets, Geoff also covers the New York Knicks, New York Liberty, and New York Giants and has previously written about the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Staten Island Yankees, and NASCAR.