Indiana Fever playoff game suffers viewership drop without Caitlin Clark

In the United States, the Indiana Fever faced the Atlanta Dream on September 16, 2025, in a crucial playoff game. The Fever managed to secure a 77-60 victory, demonstrating strong defensive skills, led by players Kelsey Mitchell, Natasha Howard, and Aliyah Boston. However, a notable factor in the game was the absence of star player Caitlin Clark, who had significantly influenced audience interest in previous games. The Fever's recent playoff game drew 951,000 viewers, which was nearly half the viewership compared to last year’s playoff game where Clark participated. This decrease in viewership emphasized the importance of her presence on the court and reflects concerns about the overall growth of WNBA's audience. The game took place amidst NFL games that could also draw viewers away from the basketball match, further impacting the numbers. Following this game, the Fever were set to compete again on September 18 for a decisive game three, which would determine their advancement in the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Seattle Storm also triumphed over the Las Vegas Aces that same evening, setting up a challenging playoff landscape. Much of WNBA’s current media coverage boasts of improved viewership figures from the previous year, yet it fails to account for changes in Nielsen's viewer measurement methods that inflate these numbers. Therefore, despite some increases in viewership for other games across the league, the stark drop in attendance for the Fever playoff game without Clark begs the question of sustainability in audience growth and engagement within the league. The landscape for women's basketball continues to evolve, but without consistent star power and engagement, challenges remain.