WNBA All-Star Game draws higher attendance than NBA counterpart for the first time
The WNBA All-Star Game made history as it outdrew the NBA All-Star Game for the first time.
The women's All-Star Game, which took place at the United Center in Chicago on July 25, saw 19,783 fans—beating out the event's previous record of 19,487 in 2007.
Meanwhile, according to a Forbes report, the NBA All-Star Game held in February at the Inuit Dome logged 15,973 fans in attendance.
The WNBA All-Star featured an exhibition game between Team Spoon, which consisted of Caitlin Clark and A'ja Wilson, and Team Coop, comprised of Breanna Stewart and Page Bueckers.
Team Spoon emerged as the victor 129-122, with New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones racking up 22 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists. She was awarded the WNBA Most Improved Player, Sixth Woman of the Year, and MVP of the All-Star Game, which she dedicated to her late aunt.
The record attendance was not surprising, as WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a previous press conference that the 2026 season is the "most watched of all time" with 73 million unique viewers across 117 broadcasts.
"I think the quality of the game has never been higher, and fans are responding to the best basketball in the world through record engagement," she said. "This season delivered historic performances. We're reaching more fans than before."
The WNBA All-Star Game was also the first in Chicago since 2022.
"To be able to have tonight, have 19,000 people in the highest attendance ever in the All-Star Game just really shows that our league is growing and people want to be around us and want to be a part of this and understand how special it is,” Jones said. (with reports from AP)