Candace Parker Slams Networks for Burying Women’s Sports on TV

Candace Parker highlighted a forgotten aspect of the WNBA’s recent increase in viewership.

Parker, who is 38, was featured in an interview on the Bloomberg Original podcast The Deal with Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly. The interview was released on Wednesday, Nov. 6. During the conversation, the retired WNBA star criticized networks for previously ignoring the league before its current surge in popularity.

“The first time they put the Women’s NCAA game on ABC was the first year that Caitlin Clark made the championship game,” Parker mentioned. She added, “Are you surprised that the viewership was up? Are you surprised that people actually saw the product? It was buried for so long on ESPN.”

The WNBA experienced its highest viewership numbers ever this season with the emergence of Clark, who is 22, and other popular newcomers like Angel Reese and Cameron Brink. The organization announced on Oct. 25 that the 2024 season was the most-viewed in history, growing 170% from the previous year.

This season, there were 32 WNBA telecasts that averaged over one million viewers each, with 22 of them being on ESPN platforms, as noted in the league’s Oct. 25 release.

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Even when Clark, Reese, and Brink were not playing — with Brink missing most of the season due to a torn ACL in June — the league attracted more viewers than in previous years. The 2024 Finals, between the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty, generated the highest viewership for a championship round in 25 years, increasing by 115% from the previous year.

Parker also suggested that the WNBA could improve its telecast positioning to attract higher ratings, specifically by avoiding scheduling conflicts with other leagues. She stated on the podcast, “The NBA doesn’t want to clash with NFL playoffs or NFL opening week. So why would we then put the WNBA? I don’t care if that’s the time slot that they’re giving you. Let’s fight for another one or let’s find something else.”

Parker, a WNBA legend, announced her retirement from basketball on April 28. She is the first WNBA player to win three championships with three different teams. After winning her first ring with the Sparks in 2016, she led the Chicago Sky to a title in 2021 before joining the Las Vegas Aces for a championship victory in 2023.