Increased WNBA Audience Amidst Clark's Prolonged Injury Breaks
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is experiencing a surge in national viewership, with the second year of the Caitlin Clark era proving to be a significant catalyst for this growth.
In 2025, the league has spread the bounty among its media partners, including Prime Video and NBA TV, by putting 41 of the Indiana Fever's 44 games on national television. This move has proven to be a success, as ESPN and ABC are carrying momentum from 2024, with WNBA games up 10% on the Disney-owned networks compared to the same time last season.
CBS, too, has seen a 6% increase in viewership, averaging 1.3 million viewers per game compared to 1.23 million in 2024. The most-watched game on CBS this season was on May 24, with 2.22 million viewers, featuring the Fever against the defending champion New York Liberty.
The Fever have commanded some of the season's biggest audiences even when Clark was not playing. The search results do not provide specific information on which broadcasters achieved the highest viewership for WNBA games without Clark's participation. However, it's worth noting that the Fever vs. Wings game delivered 2.1 million viewers for ABC, peaking at 2.5 million, making it the fourth-most watched WNBA game in ABC history.
CBS' June 7 telecast of the Fever against the Chicago Sky pulled in 1.92 million viewers, making it the second-most watched game not involving Clark since 2001. The Fever vs. Chicago Sky game in their season opener was the most-watched game on ABC, and for any media partner so far, with 2.7 million viewers.
The ending of the May 24 game between the Fever and the New York Liberty sparked a controversy when Natasha Cloud prevented Caitlin Clark from getting a shot off in the game's final seconds. Despite this, the game was the most-watched game on CBS this season.
Ion, a WNBA's national TV partner, has seen a 12% increase in viewership. The Indiana Fever's July 11 win over the Atlanta Dream was the best-watched game on Ion this season, with 1.48 million viewers.
The WNBA All-Star Game ratings fell by 36% in 2025, with Caitlin Clark not playing in the event. However, the league has still managed to maintain its upward trajectory in viewership, with seven games crossing the 1 million viewer threshold so far this season, and CBS' last three WNBA telecasts flirted with 1 million viewers.
The WNBA renewed its media rights deal with Ion in June. The Fever vs. Chicago Sky game on Aug. 9 will be aired on CBS in Saturday primetime, adding another potential record-breaking viewership to the season.
It's clear that the WNBA's national viewership is up by 23% in year two of the Caitlin Clark era, and the league is showing no signs of slowing down. With the Fever's continued success and the growing interest in the WNBA, it seems that the future of women's basketball in the United States is bright.
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