Caitlin Clark made a splash in her WNBA debut with the Indiana Fever against the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday, attracting a staggering 2.1 million broadcast viewers, ESPN announced. This milestone marks the largest audience for a WNBA game in over 20 years.
Despite the Indiana Fever falling to the Connecticut Sun with a score of 92-71, the start of the “Clark era” in the WNBA was celebrated with a sellout crowd at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut. The game was broadcast across ESPN2, ESPN+, and Disney+, capturing an average of 2.1 million viewers.
This remarkable viewership is the highest recorded for a WNBA game since 2001 when the matchup between the Los Angeles Sparks and Houston Comets drew 2.44 million viewers, according to Sports Media Watch. ESPN highlighted that Tuesday’s game marked their most-watched WNBA broadcast since acquiring league broadcast rights in 2003.
Before transitioning to the professional ranks, Caitlin Clark was a standout player and fan favorite at the University of Iowa. Notably, she played a key role in drawing an unprecedented 18.7 million viewers for the NCAA Women’s Championship game between Iowa and South Carolina last month.
Clark’s impressive debut has not only garnered attention for the Indiana Fever but has also showcased the growing popularity and viewership of women’s basketball. Her impact on the court and off-court following underscores her status as a rising star in the WNBA.
