StubHub Data Shows WNBA Fans Are Hitting the Road as Demand Surges

New StubHub data points to a major shift in how fans are engaging with the WNBA: games are increasingly becoming destination events.

As interest in women’s basketball continues to grow nationally, StubHub says more fans are crossing state lines for games while large numbers of first-time buyers enter the WNBA ticketing market. That trend is particularly visible around the Chicago Sky, one of the teams sitting at the center of the league’s current surge in star-driven and regional demand.

According to StubHub’s 2026 Chicago Sky data, 71% of buyers are first-time WNBA purchasers, while 40% of buyers are coming from outside Illinois.

The numbers suggest WNBA games are moving beyond local sports fandom and into the category of nationally relevant live entertainment events. Marquee matchups are drawing fans willing to travel, turning regular-season games into bigger live-event moments in markets across the league.

The trend also aligns with StubHub’s expanding focus on women’s sports. The company has invested in the category through HerSportsHub and recently announced a new multi-year partnership naming StubHub the Official Ticket Resale Marketplace of the Chicago Sky.

For StubHub, the Chicago Sky data offers a snapshot of a broader market shift: WNBA demand is not only growing, but widening. More fans are buying in for the first time, and more are treating games as must-see events worth building a trip around.