The Las Vegas Aces made history by becoming the first team in over two decades to win back-to-back championships in the WNBA, narrowly defeating the New York Liberty 70-69 in their latest triumph. This remarkable achievement has significantly boosted their popularity, leading them to become the first WNBA team to sell out all of its regular-season home games.
On June 20, the team officially announced this milestone. The Aces play 18 home games at Michelob ULTRA Arena and have two additional games scheduled at T-Mobile Arena. Currently, the Aces hold a record of 7-6 for the season.
In March, the Associated Press reported that the Aces had also become the first team in WNBA history to sell out its season ticket allotment. Last season, the Aces led the league in attendance, with an average of 9,551 fans per game. This season, their average attendance has increased to 10,379, placing them fourth in the league. The overall interest in the WNBA has been revitalized, partly due to the addition of exciting rookies like Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, who have attracted new fans to the sport.
The Indiana Fever, which boasts Caitlin Clark on its roster, currently leads the league in attendance, averaging 16,757 fans per game. Remarkably, just five games into the season, the Fever’s attendance total has already surpassed their entire attendance from the previous season.
Despite not dominating in the same way as in the past two seasons, the Aces continue to draw significant crowds. They set a new attendance record for Michelob ULTRA Arena when 10,424 fans attended a highly anticipated rematch between the two championship teams on June 15. In that game, the Liberty emerged victorious with a score of 90-82.
Last season, the Aces set a franchise home attendance record at T-Mobile Arena when 17,406 fans watched them defeat the Phoenix Mercury 100-85. This game exemplified the growing enthusiasm for the team and the league as a whole.
The renewed interest in the WNBA is evident, with the league averaging 9,195 attendees per game this season. If this trend continues, it will mark the highest average attendance in 22 years. This surge in attendance and fan engagement underscores the league’s increasing popularity and the success of teams like the Las Vegas Aces in captivating a wider audience.
