wnba viewership statistics wnba viewership statistics

The WNBAs Covid-disrupted 2020 regular season averaged 205,000 viewers across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. She listed a few more stats that she said she loved, including a record 83.1 points per game and a 30% increase in cross-platform action for social media posts. The Phoenix Mercury selected Diana Taurasi number one overall in 2004. On the surface, it appears that the women have little argument there is no comparison between NBA and WNBA revenues but first lets understand what WNBA players want. NBA games average 2 million TV viewers per game;WNBA games averaged 246,000 viewers during the 2019 regular season, according to Sports Media Watch (well ignore the 2020 season impacted by the pandemic). The 2023 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament presented by TIAA marks the 30th in conference history. The strong showing in 2021 made it the most-viewed postseason since 2014. Also viewership for the seasons opening weekend rose 325% in Canada. Womens basketball has steadily increased viewership year-over-year. The best of the best: the portal for top lists & rankings: Strategy and business building for the data-driven economy: Industry-specific and extensively researched technical data (partially from exclusive partnerships). Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox. Get full access to all features within our Business Solutions. An average of 379,000 viewers watched WNBA games on ABC, ESPN and CBS, the league said Wednesday, a 16% increase from 2021. WNBA 2021 commercial guide: Every franchise, every sponsor, all the major TV deals. Well, either way, its a tough sell for a league that cant turn a profit and survives on handouts from the NBA. Washington out shot Anaheim by a total of 39-23 and went 0-3 on the power play in the game. For the 2021 season, the WNBA's combined viewership averaged 306,000 viewers across Disney networks (ABC, ESPN) and CBS Television Network. It then followed up the news by announcing prior to the start of the season that U.S. Bank would become the newest member of the WNBA Changemakers, the leagues collective of purpose-driven companies that harness their power to elevate women in sports and support the leagues mission around advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. The game took place on a weekday on ESPN (rather than ESPN2) and had no football or NBA competition. WNBA NBA NBA G League NBA 2K League. Dont let WNBA stories go untold. 1 June 2021 Sam Carp News SHARE THIS ARTICLE. It seems preposterous now, but only 50 years ago womens high school sports largely did not exist. July's All-Star Game averaged 734,000 viewers, a 53% increase.. A hockey podcast that doesn't talk about last night's scores. September 21, 2022. The workplace benefits historically marginalized groups enjoy from unionization are well-documented. You need a Statista Account for unlimited access. The four-game Sky-Mercury WNBA Finals averaged 548,000 viewers across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, marking the largest audience for the event since the five-game Lynx-Sparks series in 2017 (559K). A multi-year deal with Amazon Prime Video made the WNBA the first womens professional sports league to be streamed on Prime Video. US broadcaster ESPN has revealed that viewership of the Womens National Basketball Association (WNBA) has been up significantly during the early weeks of the 2021 regular season. You need at least a Starter Account to use this feature. The showdown between UConn and Baylor in the Elite Eight round was the most-watched NCAA Tournament game in 10 years, excluding Final Four matchups. The NBA's sponsorship revenue is about 100x the WNBA's; the NBA's cable viewership is 88x the WNBA's; and the . Super Bowl averages 113 million viewers, 3rd-most watched in history The Kansas City Chiefs' 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl LVII is on pace to become the third most-watched [] This represented the league's. Atlanta Dream Team Store; . ET. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1236723/wnba-regular-season-viewers/, Average TV viewers of the WNBA regular season from 2016 to 2022, Available to download in PNG, PDF, XLS format, Average franchise value in major U.S. sports leagues 2007-2020, Average franchise value of National Basketball Association teams 2001-2022, Total revenue of the National Basketball Association 2001-2022, Teams of the NBA ranked by revenue 2021/22, NBA league & teams sponsorship revenue 2010-2022, Average operating income of National Basketball Association teams 2001-2022, Operating income of National Basketball Association franchises in 2022, NBA Finals TV viewership in the U.S. 2000-2022, NBA Finals TV ratings in the U.S. 2002-2022, Average U.S. TV ratings of NBA Finals 2022, Average viewers of the NBA Finals in the U.S. 2022, Total attendance at National Basketball Association regular season games 2006-2022, NBA regular season home attendance by team 2021/22, Average per game attendance in the NBA from 2005-2022, NBA regular season average home attendance by team 2021/22, Construction costs of NBA stadiums/arenas built since 2000, Federal subsidy to NBA stadiums built since 2002, NBA interest level in the U.S. 2022, by ethnicity, National Basketball Association (NBA) interest levels worldwide 2021, NBA number of Facebook fans/Twitter followers 2012-2022, National Basketball Association salary cap 2012-2023, Minimum player salary per year in NBA 2017-2024, Average player expenses of National Basketball Association teams 2001-2022, Player expenses in the NBA by team in 2022, National Basketball Association highest-paid players in salaries & endorsements 2023, National Basketball Association all-time rebounding leaders 1946-2022, National Basketball Association all-time minutes leaders 1946-2022, Regular season attendance WNBA games 2022, Average U.S. TV ratings of NBA playoffs 2018, Average U.S. TV ratings selected NBA games 2018, NCAA basketball March Madness TV viewership selected games 2013, NCAA basketball March Madness TV viewership selected games 2014, Average NCAA football TV viewership by conference, Average NCAA basketball TV viewership by conference 2011, Super Bowl viewers in the U.S. 2017-2023, by platform, Distribution of NBA television audience during 2012-2013 regular season, by income, Distribution of NBA regular season TV audience 2014, by ethnicity, Age breakdown of NBA TV audience during 2013 regular season, Average TV viewership of selected NCAA football games 2017, Gender breakdown of NBA television audience in 2013 regular season, Women's World Cup viewership in the U.S. 2015, Women's World Cup viewership habits in the U.S. 2019, Number of Adult Swim viewers in the U.S. 2014-2021, Most common online methods of finding TV shows Australia 2017, Average TV viewers of the WNBA regular season from 2016 to 2022 (in 1,000s), Find your information in our database containing over 20,000 reports. Saturdays inaugural fixture on the streaming service saw the Atlanta Dream secure a thrilling 90-87 win over the New York Liberty in overtime. Through 17 games (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2), the 2021 WNBA Playoffs averaged 367,000 viewers, 63 percent higher than the entire 2020 postseason (226,000 average viewers) and 42 percent higher than 2019 (258,000 average viewers). Access to this and all other statistics on 80,000 topics from, Show sources information The champion Chicago Sky sold out both of their home games during the Finals and ticket . Statista. Currently, you are using a shared account. It was the first WNBA game post All-Star Game and Olympic break airing in the afternoon on ABC. Complement's plant-based kitchen sweepstakes Weather report: Study shows bovine meat and milk factors linked to colorectal cancer, Farm Rich plant-based mozzarella sticks in Walmart and Kroger, plant-based raw tuna coming to San Francisco restaurants The Beer You Should Order, Based on Your Zodiac Sign (Best Life . The 2021 WNBA regular season averaged 306,000 viewers, a 49 percent increase over the 2020 regular season and up 24 percent over 2019. The playoffs were the most-watched since 2014. The womens league now has a commissioner, Cathy Engelbert. Please do not hesitate to contact me. Zoomph data shows the WNBA has a fan base that is nearly two times more female than average, which could mean more purchasing power than more male-centered sports, a strong sign for advertising.. In addition to ESPN, this years WNBA games are being broadcast on Amazon Prime Video for the first time. Considering the circumstances, the WNBA will likely come away from its 2020 season content with the way it was able to connect with fans, especially from its Bubble in south Florida. I was beginning to question how the Las Vegas Aces could even afford the roster they currently have: 2022 All-WNBA First-Team and WNBA All-Star MVP Kelsey Plum, 2022 WNBA Champion and Finals MVP Chelsea Gray, 2020/2022 WNBA MVP and 2022 Defensive Player of the Year A'ja Wilson and, oh yeah, now Candace Parker, too. The WNBA's Covid-disrupted 2020 regular season averaged 205,000 viewers across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. The 2021 WNBA Finals on ESPN networks and ABC - Chicago Sky victory over the Phoenix Mercury - averaged 548,000 viewers across four games, a 23 percent increase from 2020 (447,000 average viewers . You can only download this statistic as a Premium user. Half of that 66% are Black males despite the fact that black men make up around 7% of the US population as a whole. Chart. That means they have an opportunity to keep growing, and are popular online where those fans who do not tune in live. Well reveal WNBA viewership by year. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Who is new Runnin Ute Keba Keita and how is Utahs 2022-23 roster shaping up? Strauss adds the league's local viewership, too, has sharply declined. . The first round will be the best-of-three, while the semifinals and Finals will be best-of-five series. According to Burack, who also cited Nielsen data, TNT's slate of NBA games declined by 19 percent compared to 2019 (from 1.5 million to 1.2 million viewers per game) while ESPN's offerings . Also, the viewership on ESPN and ESPN2 increased 11% from 202,000 views last season to 224,000. According to Deadline.com, the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics double-overtime game averaged 1.96 million viewers, topping out at an audience size of 2.87 million late in the game. Would you be willing to send a $5 tip to our Venmo tip jar because it helps support our reporting? Yet that unfortunately was the same night the Clippers lost Game 7 to the underdog Denver Nuggets on ESPN, which earned 5.2 million viewers, a very strong number for the NBA pre-conference finals, Lewis said. The WNBA fails to generate even one percent of the NBA's $8-$9 billion in revenue. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. As a Premium user you get access to background information and details about the release of this statistic. system, which features three uniform editions for each of the 12 teams, WNBA merchandise on The WNBA Store saw record growth this season with a 50% increase over last year. The NBA watched the NFL capture an eleven-year deal worth more than $100 billion deal last summer. TheSeattle Stormled the league in team merchandise sold. Click the logo and sign up for access to the ESPN Images Library. There was just more interest because everything has been more available, starting with the college games. And the 2021 WNBA Finals winners, the Chicago Sky, sold more merchandise on Fanatics since their WNBA title win over just two days than any other prior WNBA champ has sold in the first 30 days following a title victory. PALMETTO, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 06: The Seattle Storm celebrates after defeating the Las Vegas Aces [+] 92-59 in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals to win the Championship at Feld Entertainment Center on October 06, 2020 in Palmetto, Florida. NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2021 - The WNBA capped off its historic 25 th regular season by delivering its most-watched season since 2008 for its television partners - ABC, CBS, ESPN and ESPN2 - with. LPGA golfers face the same challenge. The showdown recorded 789,000 viewers, peaking at a million for the primetime presentation. The showdown between UConn and Baylor in the Elite Eight round was themost-watched NCAA Tournament game in 10 years, excluding Final Four matchups, reported Forbes. The 2023 World Baseball Classic, the first since 2017, will get underway on Tuesday, March 7. If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again. Are you interested in testing our business solutions? This season represented the first time the Sky were represented in the top team merchandise rankings since 2016 thats the Candace Parker effect! ET, before the No. Back in 2020, the WNBA and the Womens National Basketball Players Association signed a landmark collective bargaining agreement. 5) followed Sabrina on the list of top five most popular jerseys. Former Baylor guard and current New York Liberty draft pick DiDi Richards has a projected sponsorship value of $254 thousand based on her social media impressions calculated by Zoomph. 1 overall pick Rhyne Howard of the Atlanta Dream became the first rookie to win a Conference Player of the Week honor since Tamika Catchings in 2002. The league started the 25th season by introducing its new official game ball by Wilson Sporting Goods through a new multiyear global partnership. How about how many people were willing to leave the comfort of their homes and hit the arena? TV viewership will be essential for Silver's league as it returns to a standard 82-game format. Just two weeks later and five games in, WNBA ratings climbed even higher to 74% year over year growth. For many American viewers, the WBC will serve as an introduction to the top talents of other leagues . most-watched NCAA Tournament game in 10 years, WNBA Viewership & Ratings Growing In 2021, Fans prefer to attend Seattle Storm games on, During the WNBAs first season, the Phoenix Mercury had the highest a, In 2008 the Detroit Shock were the WNBA Champions. During 2021 opening weekend, Sky-Mystics WNBA regular season game averaged a 0.39 rating and 611,000 viewers on ABC, and a rematch of that Storm-Aces final later that day averaged a 0.39 and 598,000 on ABC both securing a place in the top three records of the leagues largest regular season audience in nine years, at that time. The Nielson-measured average total viewers for national telecasts of NBA games was up 8% from the 2016-17 season at 1.28 million. A link has been emailed to you - check your inbox. In that same span, ratings fell 20 percent on ESPN. As a Premium user you get access to background information and details about the release of this statistic. Baseball viewership statistics were down 20% from the 2014-15 season. . And the Las Vegas Aces, Connecticut Sun, Seattle Storm, Washington Mystics, New York Liberty, and Atlanta Dream all were on a decline. For the 2021 season, the WNBA's combined viewership averaged 306,000 viewers. More people. 2), the Las Vegas Aces (No. 5) followed. August 17, 2022, League Sets Social, Digital and Merchandising Records , In Their Final Seasons, Sylvia Fowles First Player to Record 4,000 Rebounds in a Career; Sue Bird Records 1,000 Three-Pointers Made , The 2022 WNBA Playoffs Presented by Google Tips Off Wednesday, Aug. 17. The league added it's also the most-viewed WNBA season since 2008. Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) shoots between Minnesota Lynx forwards Damiris Dantas (12) and Napheesa Collier (24) during an WNBA playoff basketball game on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020, in Bradenton, Fla. WNBA players have contended for some time that their pay is unfair, that they deserve something closer to what their male counterparts in the NBA are paid. The latest figures continue a positive start to the season for the WNBA, which saw record ratings in Canada during its opening weekend, including a 325 per cent increase in average viewership. The WNBA noted its viewership is up 51% when compared to the 2020 regular season. The BarDown podcast will investigate, uncover and explore long-form stories at the intersection of sports . viewership dropped roughly 50 percent . You can only download this statistic as a Premium user. What percentage of WNBA viewers are female? The four-game series averaged 548,000 viewers, according to ESPN. The WNBA is 50 years behind in building its brand and working out labor issues. All of which leaves the WNBA a little short of money. Englebert reported the average viewership of games rose 68% this season, crediting that largely to a substantial increase in games on the ESPN Network as well as the league's debut on the CBS. 2 Las Vegas Aces earned a double bye into the WNBA Semifinals (third round). Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services. WNBA Moments on Top Shot gave fans the ability to own dynamic in-game moments from WNBA players and legends. 4), andBreanna Stewart(No. Moreover, as pundits debate whether a severely depressed sports viewership landscape is that way in part because of increased athlete activism, the WNBA perhaps more than any other league used the platform of its games to organize political and social movements among fans and viewers, and did not suffer. That would have been a perfect thing for them to have. to incorporate the statistic into your presentation at any time. WNBA games averaged 321,000 viewers across ESPN, ESPN2, ABC and CBS during the regular season, up 51% from last year and the league's most-watched season in 13 years. Overview and forecasts on trending topics, Industry and market insights and forecasts, Key figures and rankings about companies and products, Consumer and brand insights and preferences in various industries, Detailed information about political and social topics, All key figures about countries and regions, Market forecast and expert KPIs for 600+ segments in 150+ countries, Insights on consumer attitudes and behavior worldwide, Business information on 60m+ public and private companies, Detailed information for 35,000+ online stores and marketplaces. WNBA fans are between 2 to 6.6 times more likely than an average sports fan to be interested in politics and especially womens rights, said Niky Scott, a customer success manager at Zoomph. 2021 was also home to the most-viewed regular season game since 2012, when the Seattle Storm faced the Chicago Sky on August 15 on ABC, averaging 755,000 viewers. Are you interested in testing our business solutions? I cover women's sports and the intersection of sports & society. This season included 11 windows on broadcast television (ABC + CBS), the league's most in a season since at least two decades (NBC carried 10 in 2001 and 2002). National Basketball Association all-time triple double leaders 1946-2022, Value of National Basketball Association franchises 2022, National Basketball Association all-time assists leaders 1946-2023. "Average TV viewers of the WNBA regular season from 2016 to 2022 (in 1,000s)." The drop of the new jerseys yielded over 69 million impressions on drop day. The 2022 Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) regular season games were watched by an average of 379 thousand viewers across ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC. All Rights Reserved, Pay disparity between NBA, WNBA is a numbers game, Draymond Green, one of those highly paid male players, poured a little gas on the fire, the WNBA has lost an average of $10 million every year it has existed. They did that during the NBC days. Recently, Draymond Green, one of those highly paid male players, poured a little gas on the fire by offering his opinions on the subject (in short, the women shouldnt complain). ESPN added 13 games to their 2020 broadcast slate after their opening weekend broadcast was up 20% year-over-year. Regardless, the inevitable "Steenerico" reunion to take down The Bloodline . You need a Statista Account for unlimited access. For example, according to 2019 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, unionized female employees earn 29% more than non-unionized female employees and unionized black employees earn 27% more than non-unionized black employees. I cover the Phoenix Suns as well as the broader NBA and WNBA, PALMETTO, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 02: Breanna Stewart, #30 of the Seattle Storm drives to the basket against A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces during the first half of Game 1 of the WNBA Finals at Feld Entertainment Center on October 02, 2020 in Palmetto, Florida. Use Ask Statista Research Service. Because it's time., This is a BETA experience. A WNBA roster has a maximum of 12 players, whereas an NBA roster has a maximum of 15 players and a minimum of 12. The NBA opened the 2020-21 season to a strong start after enjoying the most-watched opening week since 2012, with combined viewership up 67% compared to last year. The NBA has 30 teams, the WNBA 12. The third and fourth seeds the No. This will also be the first time since 2015 the tournament has been played outside Indianapolis, making its inaugural appearance in Minneapolis at the Target Center, home of the four-time WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx and the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves. All Rights Reserved. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis. I think the social media engagement was so it was different than last year, it was more intense, everyone was more excited. Alex Ovechkin has led the Capitals this season with 33 goals, 24 assists, and 244 shots on goal. As a Premium user you get access to the detailed source references and background information about this statistic. As a media company, I would align with the WNBAs fan culture on social, Scott said. Of the eight original teams, only the Los Angeles Sparks, Phoenix Mercury, and the New York Liberty have lasted. WNBA Viewership of 2020 WNBA Finals up 15 percent from 2019 In a time when many of America's major professional sports leagues are struggling to maintain their usual viewership, the 2020. Plum notes the difference in narratives between the two leagues. Which was a drop of 16% on the previous year. The increase in WNBA viewership coincides with the most-ever league games on national television. 4), and the Chicago Sky (No. In essence Black males are the main supporters of the WNBA, yet Layshia Clarendon decided to focus her anger towards them. The three-game series averaged 848,000 viewers. Diana Taurasi is called the Michael Jordan of the WNBA. Ever heard of her? AT&T WNBA 2022 All-Star Game became the most viewed All-Star Game in 6 years, averaging 734,000 viewers, up 53 percent over last years event. Currently, you are using a shared account. Twenty-five years ago, the National Basketball Association Board of Directors approved the Womens National Basketball Association. . The value of working through athletes as influencers in the WNBA is evident in the data as well. You cant ask for anything better than to have a 15% increase (for the Finals) when the NBA Finals is down 49%, John Lewis of Paulsen Sports Media Watch said. The league also reached several milestones including new sponsors, merchandise, distribution, and technology. For the first time in league history, the WNBA used in-game wearables by KINEXON and optical tracking technology by Hawk-Eye to generate 3D immersive highlights, which were used in real time during Prime Videos broadcast of the inaugural WNBA Commissioners Cup Championship Game. And the entire Finals series averaged 548,000 viewers, making it also the most watched since 2017. However, the shrinking interest is more than a concern. Viewership is up 89% from the 2020 MLB playoffs and there is a 3% spike from the playoffs in 2019. All year, league executives were gratified that ESPN agreed to increase its investment in the league and air a record 37 games across its networks, about three times its typical WNBA slate. The result was the second-best viewership of the entire season, with 579,000 fans tuning in. An NBA basketball is two ounces heavier and an inch larger in circumference than a WNBA basketball. Sky forward Candace Parker finished the game with 16 points and team-high 13 rebounds. Four players logged seven triple-doubles in the regular season. There have been ups and downs along the way, including a worldwide pandemic the league is still navigating this season. Earlier this month, the Women's College World Series three-game championship series between Oklahoma and Florida State averaged 1.84 million viewers on ESPN up 15% from 2019. But not womens basketball college or pro (according to the NCAA, the average attendance for college basketball for the 2018-19 season was 1,625 for Division I women and 5,650 for Division I men). To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set In 2021, viewership numbers dropped 12% to 331,000 average viewers but still yielded the second-largest viewership since the 2004 Draft (601,000 views). [12] 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft Saturday, April 17, 2004, in Secaucus, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun). The NBAs average ticket price is variously reported at between $51 to $89; the WNBAs $17. I just really hope that this is the beginning and there's no backtracking. News Archive; Media Central; Game Notes; 2022-23 Dream Overseas Updates; 2023 Schedule Release; Team Store. Game 2 was the most watched Game 2 since 2003, peaking with 1 million viewers. In, Morning Consult. Here's the "Sunday Night Football" viewership so far this season: Week 1: Bears-Rams, 17.64 million Week 2: Chiefs-Ravens, 19.81 million Week 3: Packers-49ers, 19.69 million Week 4:. The 2022 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google tips off on Wednesday, Aug. 17, when the No. It is the most-watched comedy debut on ABC in nearly four years. The 2019 NBA Finals averaged a little more than 20 million viewers per game; the 2019 WNBA Finals averaged about 400,000 viewers per game. The network said Game 3 was the most-watched, with an average of 524,000 viewers. The 2021 WNBA regular season averaged 306,000 viewers, up 49 percent compared to 2020 and 24 percent to 2019, ESPN announced Thursday. I would imagine a majority of people who watch the WNBA are people who watch the NBA, so its going to be a very difficult thing to build an audience when, even if you like (both leagues) equally, youre stepping on a Game 7 and thats going to take precedence, Lewis added. In terms of how team attendance was trending prior to the pandemic, the Chicago Sky, Dallas Wings, and Los Angeles Sparks had regular season attendance averages that were trending up over the previous three years (2017, 2018, 2019). Game 2 (Oct. 13, ESPN) became the most-viewed Game 2 since 2003 and the most-viewed Finals game since 2017s Game 5. ", Morning Consult, Level of interest in WNBA in the United States as of May 2022, by gender Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1108312/women-national-basketball-association-interest-gender/ (last visited March 05, 2023), Level of interest in WNBA in the United States as of May 2022, by gender [Graph], Morning Consult, May 26, 2022. The WNBA also welcomed Google as its newest WNBA Changemaker, joining AT&T, Deloitte and Nike. WNBA Draft 2022 presented by State Farm averaged 403,000 viewers on ESPN, up 20 percent over last year, making it the most watched WNBA Draft since 2004. The Women's National Basketball Association concluded its 25th anniversary season with another positive sign for viewership for its championship series. The WNBA Draft, held Monday on ESPN, averaged 403,000 viewers, the network announced a 20% increase from last year's draft and the most since 2004. This years Finals were also down on 2018, which was also a Seattle sweep, but when you consider what the ratings environment is, you cant ask for anything better, John Lewis of Paulsen Sports Media Watch told me. The final game for that series averaged 570,000 viewers. The 2021 NCAA Womens Final Four pulled some of its highest viewership numbers ever. Draft coverage peaked at about 463,000 viewers. "It's so interesting, . The campaign generated 9 million impressions on the leagues owned social media accounts alone, according to data provided to me by the social media data firm Zoomph. to incorporate the statistic into your presentation at any time. Overall, WNBA ratings were down, but the Finals between the Las Vegas Aces and the Seattle Storm were up 15% from the 2019 five-game series between the Aces and the Washington Mystics the year prior.