Caitlin Clark’s WNBA Debut Shatters Records with 2.1 Million Viewers, Highest Rating in 23 Years
Caitlin Clark’s WNBA debut drew 2.1 million viewers across all platforms on Tuesday night, making it the most-watched WNBA game in 23 years.
The Fever-Sun matchup was the most-watched WNBA game ever broadcast on ESPN. The network’s previous record was set in 2004, when Diana Taurasi’s Phoenix Mercury debut drew 1.43 million viewers.
The game between Indiana and Connecticut was also the most-watched WNBA game since an NBC broadcast of the Los Angeles Sparks and Houston Comets brought in 2.45 million viewers on Memorial Day in 2001.
Clark had a team-leading 20 points on the night, but also a WNBA-record 10 turnovers. She finished 5-for-15 from the field.
“She’s a rookie,” Fever coach Christie Sides said after the game. “This is the best league in the world. We’ve got to teach her. We’ve got to teach her what these games are going to look like for her every single night. And we’ve got to eliminate some of that pressure for her, and that’s on me.”
The former Iowa star is used to the pressure, and has routinely broken viewership records throughout her career. There was hope that her presence would grow the WNBA fanbase after Iowa and South Carolina’s 2024 NCAA championship clash brought in a record 18.7 million viewers.
In April, Clark — alongside a star-studded rookie class — headlined the most-watched WNBA draft in history with 2.45 million viewers.
