Fresh off a historic rookie season, Caitlin Clark continues to reshape the future of the WNBA – starting with this preseason. The Indiana Fever star is set to make history yet again when ESPN airs what’s believed to be the first nationally televised WNBA exhibition game.
The matchup? Clark’s highly anticipated return to Iowa on May 4, where the Fever will face Brazil’s national team inside a sold-out Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. CT on ESPN – unless an NBA Game 7 bumps it to ESPN2.
The broadcast decision is a direct reflection of the “Clark Effect.”ESPN has not commented publicly, but the move speaks volumes about Clark’s pull. When tickets for the exhibition were released, they sold out in less than 45 minutes.
“Countless Hawkeye fans have become Fever fans, and we consider them family,” said Fever president of basketball operations Kelly Krauskopf. “That’s what will make this preseason matchup so special for us.”
Business as usual will no longer work
Clark’s jersey was retired by Iowa earlier this year, but this game marks her first return to the court in Iowa City since graduation – and the buzz is unreal. It’s also a major step forward for WNBA visibility, as fans have long voiced frustration about the lack of access to preseason coverage.
Last year, a fan-recorded phone stream of a Chicago Sky vs. Minnesota Lynx preseason game on X (formerly Twitter) drew over two million views – more than enough proof that demand is real. “The growth is happening so fast,” said Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve. “Business as usual isn’t going to work anymore.”
The Fever, with Clark at the center of it all, will appear in 41 nationally televised or streamed games this season – more than any other team in the league. Ten of their matchups will air on ABC/ESPN, with another eight on ION.
A new era for women’s basketball
Clark’s star power is already pushing the WNBA into new territory. Last year, as she scooped up Rookie of the Year honors, six WNBA broadcast partners shattered viewership records – and every one of those record-breaking games featured the Fever.
And she’s not the only rookie headlining preseason homecomings. Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky are heading to LSU. The Las Vegas Aces and Dallas Wings will square off at Notre Dame, and the New York Liberty are playing at Oregon – spotlighting Nyara Sabally and Sabrina Ionescu.
But Clark’s return to Iowa may just be the biggest of them all. A sold-out crowd. A nationally televised broadcast. A new era for the WNBA? It’s already underway – and Caitlin Clark is leading the charge.
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