Caitlin Clark brought fandom and viewership to another level in the NCAA over the 2023-24 season. There was an expectation that Clark, together with the other rookies in 2024 WNBA draft class, would be able to carry over a large chunk of that fandom to the professional level.
The hope was that the viewership would ignite the nascent, yet often criticized and disrespected top professional women's basketball league.
Yet over the weekend, there was a noticeable viewership dip in viewership for the May 19 matinee between the Indiana Fever and New York Liberty as compared to the viewers who watched Clark's debut against the Connecticut Sun on May 14.
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The opener of Clark brought in an average of 2.1 million viewers while Sunday's viewership number dipped to 1.7 million. Add the fact that Clark's debut was shown on ESPN2 on a weekday while her game against last year's WNBA runner-ups was on ABC and the viewership gap is even more glaring.
But this isn't a bad sign for the WNBA. If anything, this is continued good news for the league.
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The 1.7 million viewers is still nearly double of any WNBA game from last season — including the WNBA Finals which were also on ABC. It's also more than any number the league has seen in decades as the league has not topped over 1 million viewers for a game in the 16 years.
The WNBA already has three games with over 1 million viewers this season — including a game without Clark. That was the defending champion Las Vegas Aces against Los Angeles Sparks, who feature Cameron Brink, the rookie selected after Clark in the draft.
That game directly followed the Liberty and Fever game on May 19.
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There could be concern that the slow start of Clark and the Fever — who are 0-4 after playing two games apiece between two of the top teams in the league — could hamper viewership numbers for the league. The NCAA benefited from having Clark and Iowa make consecutive runs to the NCAA Championship Game.
But Clark's struggles are par for the course for many generational stars, including some NBA counterparts like LeBron James and Victor Wembanyama. If Clark and the Fever find their footing — even if it takes a few years — there's evidence to be confident that the viewership and buzz will pick up.
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