The provided HTML code is a portion of a news article about the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association). Here’s a summary of the article:The provided HTML code is a portion of a news article about the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association). Here’s a summary of the article: WNBA Experiences Strongest First Half of Season The WNBA has seen a surge in popularity this season, with increased television ratings, media coverage, and attendance. Factors Contributing to the Rise * Exciting rookie class, including Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese * Record-breaking television viewership (over 1 million viewers for 16 games) * Increased fan engagement (600% more All-Star votes than last year) * Historic merchandise sales All-Star Game and Olympic Break The WNBA All-Star Game is scheduled for Saturday, followed by a one-month Olympic break. Players, executives, and media partners hope the momentum will continue into the second half of the season. Impact of Young Talent The influx of young players, like Clark and Reese, has brought new energy and competitive games, attracting new fans. Key Quotes * WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert: “This weekend is the highlight of a historic first half of the season… We’ve seen the highest attendance in 26 years.” * Former WNBA star Rebecca Lobo: “The expectations for this current season were similar to when the competition started and that has translated into ticket sales and people watching on television.”
By Karl Plume
(Reuters) – Rising television ratings, increasing media attention and an exciting crop of rookies led by standouts Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese fueled the strongest first half of the WNBA season since the league’s inception in 1997.
Talks to finalize a “historic” WNBA media deal that press reports suggest would be worth about $200 million a year, up from the current $60 million, reinforce the growing popularity of the league and women’s professional sports in general, commissioner Cathy Engelbert said Saturday.
With the WNBA All-Star Game coming up on Saturday, a month-long Olympic break is coming. Players, league executives and media partners are hoping the momentum carries into the second half of the season.
“This weekend is the highlight of a historic first half of the season,” Engelbert told reporters on Saturday.
“We’ve seen the highest attendance in 26 years, repeatedly achieved ratings success, and many of our teams have triple-digit attendance.”
Television viewership has broken records, with 16 games averaging more than 1 million viewers, breaking the season-long record set halfway through the current season, she said.
Fans voted for All-Star players more than 600% compared to last year, while merchandise sales reached historic highs.
Pay attention to the WNBA’s best rookie class of recent memory, led by sharpshooter and passing expert Caitlin Clark and scoring and rebounding phenom Angel Reese, who have kept a heated college basketball rivalry alive that has only intensified.
The two will play together for the first time in Saturday’s All-Star game, where they will face an American team featuring WNBA MVP favorite A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and others.
With the influx of young talent to challenge the seasoned veterans, hyper-competitive games have helped attract new fans.
“The play on the court was exactly what we hoped for with great matchups… We saw the ratings play a huge role, not only when Caitlin Clark plays, but when other teams play,” former WNBA star and current broadcast analyst Rebecca Lobo told reporters.
“The expectations for this current season were similar to when the competition started and that has translated into ticket sales and people watching on television.”
(Reporting by Karl Plume in Chicago; Editing by Sandra Maler)
