Heading into WNBA All-Star Weekend, an growing variety of media, viewers, and followers are coming off the bench and getting in on the motion.
Broadcaster Ion’s final WNBA doubleheader earlier than All-Star on July 11 featured its most-watched recreation of the season between the Atlanta Dream and Indiana Fever—averaging roughly 1.5 million viewers and peaking at 1.8 million. Solely a Fever matchup with the Chicago Sky final August introduced extra viewers (1.6 million) to Ion.
At ESPN and ABC, WNBA viewership is up 7% this yr, with Disney Promoting income from the WNBA growing 70% in comparison with final season.
The numbers showcase the game’s development heading into this weekend’s actions, with the Abilities and 3-Level occasions on ESPN and ESPN+ on July 18, the All-Star Recreation on ABC on July 19, and each occasions streaming on Disney+.
Advert unit charges per 30 seconds have elevated roughly 60% since final yr—with Disney Promoting noting that sure WNBA advert packages are promoting with larger pricing than the NFL, School Soccer Playoff, and NBA postseason. After Disney Promoting introduced 60 new manufacturers into the fold for WNBA broadcasts in 2025, that’s challenged the Walt Disney Firm to seek out locations to place them.
The corporate is bringing in WNBA Countdown, offered by Google on each nights; SportsCenter as a part of its 50 States in 50 Days initiative; and Google Digital’s courtside WNBA Hoop Stream to reinforce the broadcasts. It’s additionally bringing alongside its Vibe Verify present with Elle Duncan, Monica McNutt, and Chiney Ogwumike whereas welcoming Good Morning America and host Robin Roberts as she interviews stars, together with Breanna Stewart and Paige Bueckers.
“WNBA All-Star is certainly an enormous success for us, nevertheless it is only one a part of a a lot larger story,” mentioned Jacqueline Dobies, vp of income and yield administration at Disney Promoting. “Simply the general development of the league, development of the viewers, the scores, the cultural affect, and advertiser curiosity. It’s simple.”
With ADWEEK heading to Indianapolis to soak up WNBA All-Star Weekend for itself, right here’s only a sampling (although not a full rundown) of the manufacturers and media on the bottom for one of many greatest occasions in girls’s sports activities:
Simply Girls’s Sports activities/Well-known Footwear
Simply exterior of Gainbridge Fieldhouse at 110 S Pennsylvania St., Simply Girls’s Sports activities and Well-known Footwear are internet hosting an activation that includes participant interviews, giveaways, contests, a Well-known Footwear Shoe Tunnel, and back-to-school present playing cards for the primary 50 followers by the door. Corridor of Famer Lisa Leslie might be recording her Between the Strains present reside on website and can launch a Well-known Footwear marketing campaign that includes her and her son.
“WNBA All-Star has change into the crown jewel of the ladies’s sports activities calendar, and we’re thrilled to be exhibiting up in a serious means throughout the whole weekend,” mentioned Simply Girls’s Sports activities CEO Haley Rosen.
Simply Girls’s Sports activities/Well-known Footwear
American Specific
The longtime official card accomplice of the WNBA offers its cardholders and their company a quick lane for expedited entrance into the WNBA Dwell fan zone and lets them and as much as three company get into Gainbridge Fieldhouse faster for each the 3-Level Contest/Abilities Competitors and All-Star Recreation.
Sure cardholders may get $10 again when spending $100 or extra on WNBA All-Star merchandise.
AT&T
Because the occasion’s title sponsor and one of many WNBA’s Changemaker companions, AT&T has extra happening than most manufacturers.
It helps open All-Star Weekend with WNBA Changemaker Day neighborhood occasions at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 15 earlier than opening its WNBA Dwell activation on the Indiana Conference Heart on July 18 and 19, together with appearances from A’ja Wilson and Sabrina Ionescu, 4-Level fan photographs 28 toes from the rim, and “M’VIP” nail artwork stations.
AT&T
On July 18, AT&T joins the Jr. WNBA in internet hosting a basketball expertise clinic and panel dialogue on the Chase Close to Eastside Legacy Heart, and the corporate follows it up on July 19 with a tool distribution on the Indiana Black Expo with assist from Dallas Wings guard DiJonai Carrington and AT&T chief advertising and development officer Kellyn Kenny.
Lastly, through the All-Star Recreation itself, AT&T is sponsoring the 4-Level Shot, putting two circles at every finish of the court docket past the three-point line, 28 toes from the rim. Any shot made within the circle might be good for 4 factors and can end in a charitable donation from AT&T to foundations supported by the WNBA and its gamers.
AT&T
Etsy
For All-Star, Etsy recruited Cameron Brink, Skylar Diggins, Nneka Ogwumike, and Breanna Stewart to launch The Icon Assortment—which was co-designed by Etsy sellers. The objects hit Etsy on July 17 and might be worn by gamers on All-Star Weekend’s Orange Carpet arrivals and all through a procuring expertise at The Feminine Quotient’s FQ Lounge.
Eli Lilly and Firm
The Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical firm, in partnership with Black Well being Issues (BHM), is sponsoring free mammograms by its cellular screening unit on July 17 by 19 in Indianapolis. It’s teaming with figures in basketball, together with Hannah Storm, Juju Watkins, and Andraya Carter, who’ll share their private tales whereas participating in different fan actions all weekend lengthy.
The model will air its “Arms” adverts through the All-Star Recreation to encourage early breast most cancers screenings.
Foot Locker
In partnership with Nike and Jordan Model, Foot Locker is bringing The Hardwood Home to Harrison Heart (1505 N Delaware Road) on July 18 and 19 for trials, a customized sneaker lab, reside DJs, influencer activations, youth basketball clinics, a appeal bar, and a number of occasions on its court docket.
State Farm
With Caitlin Clark and Juju Watkins amongst its spokespeople, State Farm continues to point out up for ladies’s basketball by organising store at WNBA Dwell.
Its activation gives followers lights and music for a tunnel stroll, a From the Brand Taking pictures Problem that includes Clark and Jake From State Farm (with scores tracked all through the weekend on a reside leaderboard), appearances from Clark, Watkins, and Jake, and a reside host. Followers can win Play Society x State Farm “With the Help” shirts or simply share their tunnel stroll and emblem threes on social.
Outdoors, Jake’s Help Fleet of pedicabs gives rides between key All-Star locations, whereas the model’s Brand Photographs within the Wild put pop-up hoops and logos at numerous places in Indianapolis to permit followers a shot at prizes.
Google Pixel, the Official Fan Cellphone of the WNBA (and NBA), and Google Search teamed with model consultancy Robotic on an activation at WNBA Dwell and a collection of digital activations.
Digitally, followers can take an interactive Google Search Developments quiz and be part of a WNBA group, have digital try-ons of tunnel matches, check out Kelsey Plum and A’ja Wilson’s Corridor of Matches with Circle to Search particulars concerning the show objects, take media day pictures with Finest Take and provides them backdrops with a Magic Editor function, and hit the court docket for Video Enhance-aided photographs that might be proven on WNBA Dwell Jumbotron know-how.
Plum and Wilson will present up for a Courtside Chat with Katie Feeney and a reside hoops showcase with former Harlem Globetrotter Crissa Jackson to stroll followers by her expertise on the court docket.
Ally
Mainly organising an arcade at WNBA Dwell, Ally is giving followers a recreation debit card that includes considered one of its three athlete ambassadors—Breanna Stewart, Sydney Colson, and Paige Bueckers—for a “Financial savings Bucket Problem” that lets them shoot at hoops of various heights for an opportunity to win Ally x WNBA branded merch. Ally can also be giving as much as 1,500 followers complimentary League Cross subscriptions to allow them to watch the whole season’s video games at no cost.
Lastly, it’s collaborating with designer Jocelyn Hu on a limited-edition “Strolling Bucket” hat, accessible on the Ally Retailer throughout All-Star Weekend for $50.50—a reference to Ally’s 50/50 Pledge to spend equally on paid media in each males’s and girls’s sports activities.
Unmatched HQ
It isn’t each day you see one league arrange store within the yard of one other’s All-Star Recreation, however when WNBA All-Stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart co-founded their 3-on-3 league and launched its profitable first season earlier this yr, they earned the precise to a victory lap.
The Unmatched HQ expertise (sponsored by Sephora) offers followers who head to 416 Wabash St. an opportunity to select their favourite membership, see the final supervisor’s workplace, choose a locker and a digital jersey (courtesy of Ally), take media day pictures, stroll the Sephora Tunnel, see a reproduction of the court docket, participate in capturing contests, and purchase Unmatched merch from Underneath Armour.
Vox Media
Vox Media is mainly handing soon-to-be-enshrined Corridor of Famer Sue Chicken the keys to Indianapolis’ Helium Comedy Membership for the weekend, giving her some mics and letting her do her factor.
On July 18, Chicken and World Cup/Ballon D’or-winning U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe take the stage for a reside recording of the A Contact Extra: The Podcast with a yet-to-be-announced particular visitor. Later that day, Chicken hosts a reside model of her extra basketball-centric Chicken’s Eye View podcast, launched earlier this yr.
Togethxr
The ladies-focused media and commerce firm behind the Everybody Watches Girls’s Sports activities model kicked off All-Star Week July 17 with an invite-only Queens of the Courtroom Occasion for gamers co-hosted by Aflac.
The slate of occasions continues on July 19 with a Gameday Glam Covergirl Pop-Up at Components Monetary Membership that opens a magnificence lounge for touch-ups, a DJ set, drinks, and giveaways. Later that night time, Togethxr groups with Bumble for “The Tip Off” unique networking occasion for business leaders.
All of it builds to July 19, when Togethxr and Aflac host their Queens of the Courtroom panel dialogue at The Cabaret with Andraya Carter welcoming Sydney Colson, Rickea Jackson, Kate Martin, and Daybreak Staley. That’s adopted by a Timeout with Paula’s Selection at Correct, that includes a sideline chat with College of Connecticut stars Azzi Fudd and KK Arnold.
All through the week, Togethxr can also be producing Ally Monetary All-Entry with Syd & TP to get behind-the-scenes seems to be at massive occasions, Ally activations, and no matter catches Sydney Colson and Theresa Plaisance’s consideration.
Deep Blue Sports activities + Leisure
Partnering with Ensemble and iHeartMedia—in addition to sponsors EssentiallySports, DoorDash, Viarae, and Subsequent Is Now—Deep Blue turns the Bullseye Occasions Heart right into a multimedia expertise on July 18.
Corridor of Famer Sheryl Swoopes and journalist Terrika Foster-Brasby might be within the constructing for a reside taping of their Ranges to This podcast. The Indiana Fever’s Natasha Howard sits down with Josh Harwell of Basically Sports activities for a dialog, Subsequent Is Now previews its upcoming Roku docuseries Quickest Six Weeks in Sports activities, and ESPN journalist Sarah Spain closes it out with a taping of her Good Recreation podcast.
The Feminine Quotient
The Feminine Quotient (The FQ), an experiential and media agency devoted to equality within the office, pulls into The Hulman with a number of the strongest figures in girls’s sports activities and the businesses that assist them—with assist from sponsors Etsy, JPMorgan Chase, and Casamigos.
Internet hosting three panels on July 18, The FQ brings within the WNBA’s Chief Development Officer Colie Edison to host a dialogue that includes not solely Amber Cox, COO and GM of the hometown Fever, however execs from the WNBA’s three latest franchises: Golden State Valkyries president Jess Smith, Toronto Tempo president Teresa Resch, and Portland Hearth interim president Clare Hamill.
The FQ’s CEO Shelley Zalis hosts a second panel that includes lead entrepreneurs behind two of essentially the most outstanding manufacturers in girls’s sports activities: Delta CMO Alicia Tillman and State Farm’s evp and chief company, gross sales, and advertising officer, Kristyn Prepare dinner. John McMichael, government director of JPMorgan Chase, hosts a monetary dialogue to finish the occasion.
