• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Caitlin Clark Sets One Last Viewership Record on Her Way Out

  • The Indiana Fever were eliminated from the WNBA playoffs Wednesday night, ending a full year of basketball for Clark.
  • Her last game as a rookie averaged 2.5 million viewers, the most-watched WNBA game on cable.
Sep 25, 2024; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) shoots during the first half against the Connecticut Sun during game two of the first round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

It’s hard to believe Caitlin Clark’s WNBA rookie season is over. She has played a basketball game in each of the past 12 months, providing ample highlight-worthy plays to set viewership records all year long.

It’s no surprise, then, that her last game also set a TV record.

Game 2 of the first-round series between the Sun and Fever drew 2.5 million viewers on ESPN, the most-watched WNBA game on cable, according to the network. The game peaked at 3.4 million viewers. Not bad for a Wednesday night.

The second game of the evening, during which the Lynx knocked out the Mercury in potentially the final game of Diana Taurasi’s career, got 1.2 million viewers, peaking at 2.1 million. It was the network’s third-most watched WNBA playoff game of all time.

The Fever’s second playoff game outdrew its first, most certainly due to it being an elimination game for Indiana, and because it wasn’t competing against a Sunday NFL game broadcast. 

Game 1 averaged 1.8 million viewers on ABC. Of course, these are far lower than some of Clark’s biggest games in college, but many of those record-shattering viewership numbers—like the 18.9 million viewers for this year’s national title game—were much higher-stakes and farther along into the postseason.

Indiana-Connecticut Game 2 viewership was 507% higher than ESPN’s Round 1 average in 2023. This year’s All-Star game still holds the crown for the season’s most-watched broadcast with an average of 3.44 million viewers, the third highest for a WNBA game. The Fever held many of the network’s most-watched games this regular season, including ABC, ESPN 2, CBS, and NBA TV. ESPN and CBS both recorded their most-watched WNBA regular seasons ever this year.

None of the other Game 1’s topped an average of 500,000 viewers, so the strong Game 2 viewership for Lynx-Mercury is a positive sign for the league as it heads into post-Clark playoffs. So are the Game 2 ratings for Aces-Storm (988,000 average viewers, the largest WNBA playoff audience on cable since 1999) and Liberty-Dream (863,000 average viewers).

The WNBA playoffs resume Sunday with an afternoon Finals rematch between the Aces and Liberty. The game will tip off at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on ABC, conflicting with the end of NFL games like Saints-Falcons and Eagles-Bucs (another playoff rematch) and the start of ones like Chiefs-Chargers. 

The other WNBA semifinal between the Sun and Lynx starts at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN, 10 minutes after the scheduled kickoff for Bills-Ravens Sunday Night Football.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Alexis Ohanian

Alexis Ohanian Tweaks Track Rivals With Promise of Instant Payments

Athletes will be paid minutes after finishing their races at Athlos.
Hymie Elhai

Jets Say Execs Tried to Sink Team President in Bumbling Conspiracy

The team says thousands of deleted text messages show the plot.

NFL and College Football TV Ratings Continue to Surge, Especially for CBS

The network’s singleheader coverage Sunday drew huge viewership.

Featured Today

Paul Cartier

Sports Organists Are Still Thriving in the Era of Raucous Arena Music

“When they walk out and they see a real organ guy, it’s like, ‘Wow.’”
Sep 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Jackson Chourio (11) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field.
October 4, 2025

Milwaukee Moneyball: Brewers Are Beating MLB’s Deeper Pockets

Milwaukee is holding its own against big-budget competitors.
Kōloa Rum Company Rum Rusher
September 27, 2025

Panthers Bubbly, Jets Wine, Manning Whiskey: The Sports Booze Boom

A sommelier dives into the sports booze trend—and tries Jets wine.
Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers fans wave Terrible Towels against the Baltimore Ravens during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium
September 26, 2025

Steelers’ Irish Roots Are Deeper Than NFL Dublin Game

The Steelers have history and the foundation for a future in Ireland.
Bucks

Bucks Reportedly Discussed Giannis Deal With Knicks This Summer

Antetokounmpo’s future will be a major NBA storyline this year.
Caitlin Clark
October 3, 2025

Cathy Engelbert Denies Saying Caitlin Clark Should Be ‘Grateful’ For WNBA

“Obviously I did not make those comments.”
Napheesa Collier
October 5, 2025

WNBA Tensions Heat Up With Canceled Collier–Engelbert Meeting

The commissioner denied Collier’s version of events at a press conference Friday.
Sponsored

How Jenny Just Is Shaping the Future of Sports Ownership

Jenny Just on bringing her investment experience to sports ownership.
Caitlin Clark
exclusive
October 2, 2025

Caitlin Clark Will Not Join Second Season of Unrivaled

The Fever star struggled with several injuries in her second WNBA season.
Caitlin Clark
October 2, 2025

Caitlin Clark Backs Napheesa Collier in Fight With WNBA

Clark had her exit interview on Thursday after an injury-riddled season. 
Kuminga
October 1, 2025

With Kuminga Deal, Steve Kerr Now Warriors’ Biggest Looming Free Agent

Kuminga finally agreed to a new deal with the Warriors on Tuesday. 
LeBron James
September 30, 2025

LeBron, Giannis, Jokić All Weigh In on Contract Situations

James is on an expiring contract with the Lakers.