ESPN: WNBA Finals delivers best overnight ratings since 2007

Game two of the 2014 WNBA Finals delivered a 0.6 overnight rating, marking the highest overnight number for any WNBA postseason game on ESPN or ESPN2 since 2007 (ESPN2, 0.6 on Sept. 13, Phoenix Mercury vs. Detroit Shock) according to the sports network.

The Mercury defeated the Chicago Sky 97-68 Tuesday night in Phoenix and hold a 2-0 series lead heading into Game 3 on Friday, Sept. 12, at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

The top 10 metered markets for the WNBA Finals 2014 Game 2 include: Phoenix (1.9); Atlanta (1.7); New Orleans & Las Vegas (1.4); Hartford/New Haven (1.3); Greenville, Columbus & Greensboro (1.2); Nashville & Memphis (1.1) and Minneapolis-St. Paul (1.0).

The 2014 WNBA playoffs conference semifinal games on ESPN2 posted a 100 percent ratings increase over last season (0.2 HH US rating vs. 0.1), and a 31 percent increase in viewership (262,000 viewers vs. 200,000 viewers).

The WNBA conference semifinal game 3, showcasing the Phoenix Mercury’s 96-78 win over the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday, Sept. 7, was the most viewed on ABC since 2007 (828,000 viewers). The previous high on ABC was an Eastern Conference Finals Game 2 between the Detroit Shock and Indiana Fever on September 2 (839,000 viewers).

The game also delivered a 0.6 household US rating – also the highest on ABC since 2007 (0.7 HH US rating).