The much-anticipated matchup between Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury drew historic viewership numbers, highlighting the growing popularity of the WNBA. Sunday’s game, broadcast on ESPN, averaged 1.93 million viewers, making it the fourth-largest WNBA audience since Memorial Day 2001.

This season alone has seen the WNBA's top four most-watched games, all featuring Clark and the Fever, per Jon Lewis of Sports Media Watch.

Indiana's victory was not only a significant win on the court but also in terms of viewership, becoming the most-watched WNBA game ever involving Taurasi. Previously, her most-viewed game was her debut against Connecticut in May 2004, which drew 1.43 million viewers .

The Fever-Mercury game was the ninth WNBA game this season to attract over one million viewers, a milestone the league had not achieved for nearly 16 years. Eight of these games featured Clark and the Fever, highligiting Clark's continued impact on the league's visibility and popularity .

Additional viewership records for Caitlin Clark and the Fever

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) and Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) talk at half court during a free throw on June 30, 2024, at Footprint Center in Phoenix.
Owen Ziliak/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Clark’s debut with the Fever against the Connecticut Sun on May 14 set a precedent as the most-watched WNBA game in 22 years, attracting 2.12 million viewers. This trend of high viewership has followed Clark throughout her rookie season, with multiple games surpassing the million-viewer mark.

Another notable game was the Fever's matchup against the New York Liberty on May 18, which 1.71 million viewers, becoming the most-watched WNBA game on ABC. The rivalry between Clark and other top players, such as the Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese, continues to captivate audiences, with their matchups consistently setting new viewership records.

The Fever’s win over the Sky on June 16 saw 2.25 million viewers tuning in. The rivalry, which dates back to Clark and Reese's college days, has become a major draw for the league.

Clark and the Fever have participated in each of the five most-viewed WNBA games since 2002, with two of those games being matchups against Chicago.

College viewership

Former Iowa women's basketball player Caitlin Clark and former LSU women's basketball player Angel Reese

Clark’s ability to draw large audiences began during her college career at Iowa. Her games consistently attracted millions of viewers, setting several records. The Iowa vs. South Carolina NCAA National Championship game averaged 18.7 million viewers on ABC and ESPN, making it the most-watched basketball game — women's, men's, college, or pro — in the last five years.

The Big Ten title game against Nebraska drew 3.02 million viewers for the regular game and peaked at 4.45 million during overtime, marking it as the most-watched women’s college basketball game on CBS in 25 years.

Clark's matchups against other top players and teams, such as her game against Ohio State, which drew 3.39 million viewers, have contributed to the rising popularity of women’s college basketball. Her presence has boosted viewership not just for Iowa games but for the sport as a whole, creating an impact that continues to be felt in the WNBA.