Caitlin Clark’s return to the court was nothing short of electrifying. After missing five games, the Indiana Fever star had fans and media buzzing-and the record-breaking ratings from her matchup against the New York Liberty prove just how much the world was watching.
Clark had been sidelined for over two weeks due to a quadriceps injury sustained on May 24 in a previous game against New York. While the injury wasn’t considered serious, the Fever’s front office took a cautious approach, allowing their franchise player extra recovery time.
When Clark finally stepped back onto the court for her highly anticipated rematch, Gainbridge Fieldhouse was packed with eager spectators. Those who couldn’t attend in person made sure to tune in from home-and the latest ESPN ratings confirm her immense draw.
Caitlin Clark: A ratings magnet
According to a recent post by ESPN PR on X (formerly Twitter), the June 14 showdown between Indiana and New York became ABC’s third most-watched WNBA game in history, averaging 2.2 million viewers and peaking at 2.8 million.
Clark had already made history earlier in the season. Her WNBA debut-a matchup between the Fever and Angel Reese’s Chicago Sky-became the most-watched game ever broadcast on ABC, drawing an average audience of 2.7 million and peaking at 3.1 million viewers.
However, the league’s highest-rated game still belongs to history: the very first WNBA game ever played-between the Liberty and the Los Angeles Sparks-which averaged a staggering 5.04 million viewers.
Clark’s triumphant return
Clark wasted no time reminding the world why she’s one of the biggest stars in the game. She poured in 32 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and dished out nine assists, leading the Fever to a commanding 102-88 victory.
Not only did Clark avenge Indiana’s 90-88 loss from their previous clash with New York, but she also snapped the Liberty’s undefeated streak, which had stretched to 10-0 before their defeat.
Looking ahead, Clark and the Fever face two seemingly favorable matchups: a home game against the struggling Connecticut Sun (2-8) and an away contest against the expansion team Golden State Valkyries.
Regardless of the outcome, one thing is certain-the WNBA and television networks win every time Caitlin Clark takes the court.
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