Caitlin Clark closed the chapter on her rookie campaign with more personal records and another viewership milestone for the WNBA.
Clark became the first rookie in playoff history with at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists in a single game, but it was not enough for the Indiana Fever to pull off a victory in Game 2 of their first round series against the Connecticut Sun on Wednesday night.
Caitlin Clark, #22 of the Indiana Fever, drives to the basket during the game against the Connecticut Sun during Round 1 Game 2 of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs on Sept. 25, 2024 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. (Chris Marion/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Sun spoiled Clark’s playoff debut to capture the series and move on to the semifinals.
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Despite the outcome, the game set a new milestone for women’s basketball in a year that was nothing short of historic.
According to ESPN Press Room, Game 2 marked the most-viewed WNBA game ever aired on cable – both regular season and playoffs. An average of 2.54 million viewers tuned in, a significant increase from the previous record set in Game 1 with an average of 1.8 million viewers that peaked at 2.2 million.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, #22, is goes to the basket as Connecticut Sun forward Olivia Nelson-Ododa, #10, and guard Veronica Burton, #22, defend during the first half of Game 2 of a first-round WNBA basketball playoff series on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Uncasville, Connecticut. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
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Clark’s impact on the league has been indisputable.
According to a report by the Sports Business Journal, the WNBA averaged 657,000 viewers per game, and 22 of those matchups topped 1 million – Clark played in 19 of them. The previous record of 15 was reached in 1998.
The absence of Clark from the WNBA playoffs is expected to have an impact on viewership, but numbers across the board are up.
Caitlin Clark, #22 of the Indiana Fever, looks on as she plays the Connecticut Sun during the first quarter of Game Two of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs first round at Mohegan Sun Arena on Sept. 25, 2024 in Uncasville, Connecticut. (Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)
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According to ESPN Press Room, first round games on the network averaged 1.1 million viewers, which is the most-viewed opening round ever across all networks.
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