Call it the Caitlin Clark effect.
The WNBA will show 36 of the Indiana Fever’s 40 games on its national broadcast and streaming partners, starting with the season opener at Connecticut on May 14. Last season, the Fever had only 22 of their games shown nationally.
The Fever, who are expected to take Clark first in the WNBA draft on Monday, will appear eight times across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, as well as eight times on ION and twice on CBS. In addition, the Fever will be highlighted 13 times on NBA TV, four times on Prime Video and once on CBS Sports Network.
Clark helped the NCAA land record TV ratings, including 18.9 million for Iowa‘s NCAA title game defeat to South Carolina.
“With the energy and excitement already generated by what we anticipate will be a star-studded rookie class, and on the heels of a 2023 season that featured one of the greatest MVP races in WNBA history and our most-watched regular season in over two decades, the WNBA’s broadcast and streaming partners are offering a huge national platform that will showcase the league’s superstars, rising stars, rivalries and a newly reconfigured WNBA Commissioner’s Cup,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said.
The WNBA just had its most-watched season in 21 years, averaging 462,000 viewers per game across ABC, ESPN and…
