Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, center, walks off the court after an exhibition women's basketball game against Brazil, Sunday, May 4, 2025, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
The unparalleled magnetism of Caitlin Clark continues to redefine the landscape of women’s basketball, as evidenced by the staggering viewership numbers drawn by her return to the University of Iowa for a preseason game with the Indiana Fever. The exhibition matchup against the Brazilian national team on Sunday, May 4, 2025, wasn’t just another preseason contest; it became a landmark event, pulling in an average of 1.3 million viewers on ESPN, a figure that nearly eclipsed the network’s all-time record for a women’s basketball preseason game. This remarkable viewership underscores the undeniable “Caitlin Clark Effect” and its profound impact on the popularity and visibility of the WNBA.
The broadcast of Clark’s homecoming peaked at an impressive 1.6 million viewers, demonstrating the intense national interest surrounding the young superstar. This average viewership represented a significant 13% increase over ESPN’s average viewership for the entire 2024 WNBA regular season, highlighting the exceptional draw Clark possesses. Furthermore, this preseason game’s viewership surpassed that of every NBA preseason game aired on ESPN since 2018, and even outshone the viewership of Game 1 of the 2024 WNBA Finals. These comparisons to the NBA, a league with decades of established viewership, underscore the seismic shift Clark has brought to the women’s professional game in a remarkably short period.
The atmosphere inside Iowa’s Carver-Hawkeye Arena was equally electric. The game was a sellout, with 15,000 fervent fans eager to witness Clark’s return to the court where she etched her name in NCAA history. The demand to be in the building was so high that the average paid ticket price on the resale market soared to an astounding $440, a testament to the fervor surrounding Clark. This combination of a sold-out arena and massive television viewership paints a clear picture of Clark’s unique ability to captivate audiences, both live and at home.
Caitlin Clark, who is embarking on her second season with the Indiana Fever, did not disappoint her legion of fans. Starting the game, she showcased her all-around talent, contributing 16 points to the Fever’s dominant 108-44 victory over the Brazilian national team. This performance was her second time back on the Carver-Hawkeye Arena court since concluding her illustrious career with the Iowa Hawkeyes. The first instance was a poignant jersey retirement ceremony following Iowa’s victory over Southern California on February 2, 2025, further solidifying her legendary status in the state.
The extraordinary viewership of this preseason game is not an isolated incident but rather a continuation of the trend Clark ignited during her collegiate career and her rookie season in the WNBA. Her record-breaking performances at Iowa drew unprecedented crowds and television audiences, leading to the coining of the term “Caitlin Clark Effect.” This phenomenon describes the significant increase in popularity, media attention, ticket sales, and viewership associated with Clark’s presence.
During her final two seasons at Iowa, Clark’s games consistently shattered attendance and television viewership records. The 2023 national championship game, featuring Clark and the Hawkeyes, set a women’s college basketball viewership record with 9.9 million viewers. The following year, her game against Ohio State, where she surpassed Pete Maravich to become the NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer, drew an average of 3.39 million viewers, the most-watched women’s regular-season college basketball game on any network since 1999. Her impact extended throughout the 2024 NCAA tournament, with her Elite Eight matchup against LSU drawing a staggering 12.3 million viewers and her Final Four contest against UConn pulling in 14.2 million, both breaking viewership records at the time. The 2024 national championship game, her final collegiate appearance, set yet another record with 18.9 million viewers, making it the most-watched basketball game, men’s or women’s, since 2019.
This magnetic pull seamlessly transitioned to the WNBA. The 2024 WNBA draft, where the Indiana Fever selected Clark as the first overall pick, averaged 2.45 million viewers, the highest in WNBA draft history and the most-watched WNBA telecast since 2000. Her regular-season debut against the Connecticut Sun drew the largest WNBA audience since 2002, and her game against the New York Liberty set the league’s ABC viewership record. Throughout her rookie season, games featuring Clark and the Fever consistently drew over one million viewers, a feat the league had not achieved in over two decades. Notably, 20 of the 23 WNBA games that surpassed the one-million viewer mark in 2024 featured the Indiana Fever.
The impact of the “Caitlin Clark Effect” extends beyond television ratings. Her presence has led to significant increases in both home and away game attendance for the Fever. During her senior year at Iowa, the Hawkeyes sold out all their home games for the first time in program history. This surge in fan interest has followed her to the professional level, with demand for tickets to see the Fever on the road surpassing that of all other WNBA teams this season.
The WNBA is strategically capitalizing on Clark’s immense popularity. The Indiana Fever are slated to appear on national television or streaming platforms a league-leading 41 times in the 2025 season. This increased visibility is a direct result of the heightened interest Clark has generated, providing the league with a golden opportunity to reach a broader audience and further elevate its profile. The preseason game’s exceptional viewership serves as a powerful indicator that this strategy is already yielding significant results.
While the “Caitlin Clark Effect” has undeniably been a boon for women’s basketball, some analysts have noted a potential downside. The dramatic drop-off in viewership for the 2025 Women’s Final Four, which did not feature Clark, compared to the record-breaking numbers of the previous year, suggests that a significant portion of the increased interest is directly tied to her presence. However, it is also important to acknowledge that women’s basketball viewership, in general, has been on an upward trajectory, and Clark’s arrival has accelerated this growth exponentially.
The comparison of Clark’s impact to that of NBA legends like LeBron James in terms of preseason viewership highlights her unique status as a transcendent athlete who commands national attention regardless of the stakes of the game. Her ability to draw over a million viewers for a preseason exhibition against a non-WNBA team underscores the profound connection she has forged with fans across the country.
Looking ahead, the continued presence of Caitlin Clark in the WNBA, along with the emergence of other talented young stars like Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers, holds immense promise for the league’s future growth and popularity. Clark’s impact extends beyond individual viewership numbers; she is redefining the reach and relevance of women’s basketball, attracting new fans, and inspiring a new generation of players. The record-breaking viewership of her preseason return to Iowa is just the latest chapter in a story that is rapidly transforming the landscape of professional women’s sports. The “Caitlin Clark Effect” is not merely a moment; it appears to be a powerful and enduring force that will continue to shape the WNBA for years to come.
