It’s all about the Caitlin Clark effect around the WNBA. The Indiana Fever star rookie continues to be the talk of the basketball world. Whether it’s her dynamic play on the court or drama that has emerged, Clark is leading a league with popularity we’ve never seen before.
Fellow rookie Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky has also been a lightning rod. We already know about her rivalry with Clark dating back to their college days. That has obviously been ramped up as both continue with their rookie seasons in the WNBA.
Sunday’s game between the Fever and Sky was obviously of interest to basketball fans. It resulted in a 91-83 win for Indiana with Clark scoring 23 points while grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out nine assists. For her part, Reese put up 11 points with 13 rebounds and five assists.
Related: Updated WNBA TV ratings
Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese matchup was most-watched WNBA game in 23 years
Per Sports Media Watch, Sunday’s game on CBS drew an average audience of 2.25 million viewers. It’s the most-watched WNBA game since the Los Angeles Sparks and Houston Comets back on Memorial Day of 2001. That game drew an average audience of 2.44 million.
As for the Clark effect, it’s absolutely real. The five most-watched WNBA games thus far this season have all involved the Indiana Fever. That included Clark’s debut back on May 14 against the Connecticut Sun drawing 2.12 million viewers.
- Caitlin Clark stats (2024): 16.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 6.2 APG, 38% shooting
Of course, the drama we’ve seen take hold in games that Clark has played in makes for must-watch television. It was earlier in the season that the Fever’s first game against Chicago saw Chennedy Carter commit a hard foul against Clark. It led to a ton of debate around the basketball world.
For her part, Reese also committed a flagrant against Clark in Chicago’s loss to the Fever on Sunday. Yeah, it’s been a popcorn-worthy time.