WNBA Season Breaks Viewership Records with Caitlin Clark Star Power

The WNBA has experienced a significant surge in viewership this season, largely attributed to the star power of athletes like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Cameron Brink. Following Clark's impressive performance in the NCAA women's championship, which attracted more viewers than the men's title game, the WNBA draft saw a record 2.45 million viewers. Clark's debut with the Indiana Fever on ESPN averaged over two million viewers, marking a historic high for WNBA games. The Fever's matchups against Reese and the Chicago Sky were particularly popular, with ESPN, CBS, and Ion broadcasting their most-watched regular-season games of the year during these encounters. ESPN reported an average of 1.2 million viewers for WNBA regular-season games, a remarkable 170% increase from the previous year. Additionally, the pregame show WNBA Countdown averaged 508,000 viewers, surpassing last year's average game viewership. Ion, which began airing WNBA games last season, noted a 133% increase in viewership and reported that 50% of its audience was female, primarily aged 18-49. While official attendance records for the season are pending, ticket sales reportedly increased by 47% for the final six games. Caitlin Clark's rising popularity has prompted the league to consider adding a new expansion team, highlighting her impact on the WNBA's growth and the increasing interest in women's basketball.