08/15/2026
Joe Rogan and Shane Gillis have put the WNBA’s explosive popularity and controversy back under the spotlight.
The pair recently argued that the league has boxed itself into a controversy-driven identity, with Gillis joking that the WNBA has become a “nonstop reality show” because of the constant fights and drama.
That criticism is provocative, but the numbers tell a much more complicated story.
In 2024, the WNBA reached 54+ million unique viewers, while ESPN platforms averaged 1.19 million viewers per game, up 170% year over year.
And the attention clearly isn’t only online. In July, 20,996 fans packed Montreal’s Bell Centre, setting a new WNBA regular-season attendance record. Paige Bueckers dropped 34 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists as Dallas beat Toronto 108–95.
But 20,996 people don’t show up to a basketball arena because of a podcast argument.