On Friday, with nothing else in the way, the WNBA virtual draft broadcast hit the spotlight.
The 2020 draft drew in 387,000 viewers, more than a 120% increase from 2019, according to the league. It’s the second largest TV audience for a WNBA Draft.
On social media, however, the league’s platforms generated 6.5 million views on draft videos, which is up 125% from last year’s total (2.5 million on draft day).
This year’s draft, which was held remotely to follow strict social distancing guidelines in light of the coronavirus pandemic, was headlined by college basketball sensation Sabrina Ionescu. The Oregon standout was selected No. 1 overall by the Liberty.
“It is really a blessing to be able to go [No. 1],” Ionescu said Friday.
The broadcast also featured moving tributes to the three Mamba Sports Academy players — Gianna Bryant, Alyssa Altobelli and Payton Chester — who along with NBA legend Kobe Bryant tragically died in a helicopter crash in January. Former NBA commish David Stern — who helped launch the WNBA in 1996 — also received special recognition during the broadcast.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced the three girls as honorary draft picks by the league.
The 2020 program attracted the most viewers on the network since 2004, when it amassed 601,000 (programming aired on ESPN2 and ESPNU). Diana Taurasi was the No. 1 pick by the Pheonix Mercury that year.
Friday’s draft, unlike past events, was not competing with other ongoing sports programming (live games, tournaments, etc.) because almost the entire sports world is on an indefinite hiatus with the uncertainty of COVID-19.
It was also the first virtual draft ever held by any of the major sports leagues. While there were a few technical hiccups through the program, the broadcast was for the most part, smooth sailing for viewers.
The NFL will attempt its first virtual draft on Thursday, a three-day event (ESPN, ABC and NFL Network) with a bigger scale production and more prospects and teams involved. Aside from learning some tips from the WNBA Draft, the also NFL held a mock virtual draft on Monday to help work out some kinks ahead of Thurday’s first round.
The NBA is expected to follow suit with its virtual draft on June 25.
Though the official WNBA season is still up in the air, Engelbert said on Friday there were no regrets about hosting the draft on the scheduled date, calling it the league’s “bright spot” amid the chaos the coronavirus has caused.
“We felt it was really important to move forward with this virtual draft because prospects have worked so hard,” Engelbert said Friday.. “They didn’t have the NCAA Tournament. So to hear their names called tonight will make some dreams come true for sure.”
