The WNBA, which is also preparing for two more teams in 2026 in Portland and Toronto, had its most-watched regular season, with 1.2 million average viewers on ESPN, according to the broadcaster, while an average of 1.6 million watched the finals, the biggest audience in 25 years.

The league had enjoyed steady growth in recent years, but the surge was helped along by a compelling rookie class led by Caitlin Clark, whose record-smashing collegiate career was a watershed moment for women's sport in the United States.

Clark will hope her extraordinary star power will help in her joint bid to bring an NWSL team to Cincinnati, as the women's soccer league considers three contenders, including Denver and Cleveland, for a fresh expansion franchise.

The league saw average viewership of 967,900 for this year's championship, up 18 percent from 2023, the NWSL said, and it is preparing to expand to 15 members when a Boston team joins in 2026.