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The Spotlight Is Brighter Than Ever
The WNBA is experiencing a transformative moment as the 2025 preseason becomes the most accessible and highly anticipated in league history. For the first time ever, every preseason game is being broadcast or streamed, opening the league to a global audience like never before. Ticket sales are soaring, new stars are emerging, and demand is outpacing anything seen in past seasons. What used to be a low-key warmup phase has turned into a high-stakes preview of the WNBA’s growing global footprint and cultural relevance.
A Surge in Global Attention and Local Engagement
For the first time, all WNBA preseason games are being streamed or broadcasted, marking a major milestone in the league’s media exposure. The season tips off with an impressive increase in fan engagement both inside arenas and through screens. Ticket sales have skyrocketed, with a staggering 145% jump compared to the previous year, and interest is coming from a global base — fans from 29 countries have already secured tickets through StubHub, more than doubling last year’s number. First-time ticket buyers have increased by 28%, indicating a wave of new interest driven by key players and growing cultural impact.
The Indiana Fever has emerged as the hottest ticket in town, experiencing a jaw-dropping 497% boost in ticket sales compared to last season. The Dallas Wings aren’t far behind with a 343% rise, fueled in part by the buzz around Paige Bueckers, who was recently drafted No. 1 overall. The team saw a 351% spike in site searches within 24 hours of the announcement. Other top-demand teams include the Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, New York Liberty, and Dallas Wings — showcasing a well-distributed surge in national interest.
Preseason action features exciting matchups, including international flair with Brazil’s National Team and Japan’s Toyota Antelopes taking on WNBA squads. High-profile debut games are on the calendar: Paige Bueckers with the Dallas Wings, Jewell Loyd’s first appearance with the Las Vegas Aces, Dominique Malonga for Seattle Storm, and Kelsey Plum with the LA Sparks. Not to mention the much-anticipated Golden State Valkyries’ debut as the newest WNBA franchise.
Every preseason game is now accessible through ION, NBA TV, ESPN, and WNBA League Pass — with 14 of the 15 matchups free to stream during the League Pass Preview. With this level of visibility and excitement, it’s clear that the WNBA is evolving into a major sports entertainment force before the regular season even begins.
What Undercode Say:
A League Redefining Its Identity
The WNBA is no longer a niche sports entity confined to regional interest or summer coverage gaps. The massive uptick in preseason visibility and ticket sales indicates that women’s basketball is becoming a legitimate mainstream product. Fans around the world are watching, and more importantly, investing their money and time — the two most important resources in modern entertainment consumption.
The Caitlin Clark & Paige Bueckers Effect
Stars drive leagues, and the WNBA now has household names that resonate beyond basketball. Caitlin Clark’s unprecedented college fame and Paige Bueckers’ long-anticipated professional debut have set off a domino effect. When individual player popularity directly correlates with team searches and ticket surges, the league moves into NBA-style fan behavior. This means more merchandising opportunities, cross-platform sponsorships, and deeper media storylines.
International Expansion in Motion
The inclusion of teams like Brazil’s National Team and Japan’s Toyota Antelopes in the preseason signals a strategic move. This isn’t just about friendly competition — it’s an intentional push toward international recognition. As women’s basketball gains ground globally, the WNBA is positioning itself as the definitive elite league for women’s professional basketball, similar to how the NBA expanded in the 1990s.
A Strategic Media Play
Broadcasting every preseason game may seem small, but it’s a calculated shift. Visibility drives legitimacy. When casual fans can easily access games, they’re more likely to engage long-term. The choice of partners — ION, ESPN, NBA TV — reflects a strategy of wide audience reach. Even the WNBA App’s free preview feature is designed to lower the barrier of entry and capture new eyeballs before the season officially starts.
StubHub’s Numbers Tell a Bigger Story
A 145% rise in ticket sales and fans from 29 countries buying in tells us something deeper: the WNBA is becoming a cultural event, not just a sporting one. Buying tickets has become part of a movement — a way to participate in a rising tide of women’s sports that has both emotional and social currency. First-time ticket buyers jumping by 28% means the league isn’t just keeping fans — it’s growing them.
Franchise Buzz & Competitive Balance
It’s also worth noting how multiple teams — not just one or two — are benefiting from the rise in interest. While Indiana and Dallas are leading in numbers, teams like the Sky, Sun, and Liberty are close behind. This spread indicates a healthy league ecosystem where talent and fan interest are distributed more evenly, reducing overreliance on a few big-market teams.
The Valkyries’ Debut: A Golden Opportunity
The Golden State Valkyries entering the league is more than just expansion — it’s a chance to tap into one of the most basketball-rich regions in the U.S. With Kelsey Plum joining the Sparks, the California rivalry potential is already brewing, and preseason exposure ensures fans are primed before the regular season even begins.
Momentum Before Tip-Off
Perhaps the most important takeaway: this isn’t the regular season, and yet fans are fully tuned in. That level of anticipation is gold for any sports league. It translates to higher ratings, more social media engagement, and more pressure on networks to invest in women’s basketball coverage. This moment feels like the start of a new WNBA era — one where preseason isn’t an afterthought but a headline.
🔍 Fact Checker Results:
✅ All WNBA preseason games are available via streaming or broadcast
✅ Ticket sales have surged across every team, led by Indiana Fever
✅ International participation and viewership are at all-time highs 🌍
📊 Prediction:
With record-breaking preseason engagement and a younger generation of stars driving global buzz, the 2025 WNBA season is set to shatter viewership, attendance, and sponsorship records. Expect more international exhibition games and even broader media deals by next year as the league leans into its moment of explosive growth 🚀🔥.
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