Buzzer-Beater WNBA Finals Game 1 Delivers Best Overnight Ever


Game 1 of the 2017 WNBA Finals, which aired Sunday, Sept. 24, on ABC delivered a 0.6 overnight rating, the best overnight ever for a Game 1 on the ESPN networks. The matchup between the Minnesota Lynx and the Los Angeles Sparks resulted in a +20% increase from last year’s Game 1.

The top five markets were: Nashville (4.6); Minneapolis (1.9); Birmingham (1.2); Hartford-New Haven (1.3); and Knoxville (1.1). Los Angeles delivered a 0.7 metered market rating.

This year’s Finals feature the top two teams in the league, and Game 1 ended with a buzzer-beater that led to an 85-84 Los Angeles win and a 1-0 lead in the series for the Sparks. The Finals continue Tuesday, Sept. 26, at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and streaming live on the ESPN app.