Indiana’s WNBA star Caitlin Clark continues to prove she is the league’s biggest audience magnet. Her September 29 playoff win over the Las Vegas Aces, streamed exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, averaged 1.42 million viewers – the highest figure for any first‑round game that did not feature the Fever.
Streaming numbers outpace network broadcasts
The next‑largest reported audience for a non‑Fever first‑round game was 1.40 million for Golden State’s Game 2 loss to Dallas on ESPN, a difference of only about 20,000 viewers. Clark’s game, despite being a streaming‑only broadcast, still topped every other reported non‑Fever telecast, including those on network television and cable.
Overall Fever viewership dominates
Two nights later, Indiana’s season‑ending loss to Las Vegas drew 2.25 million viewers across USA Network and CNBC, making it the second‑most‑watched first‑round WNBA game ever. The most‑watched first‑round game remains Clark’s Fever versus the Connecticut Sun in 2024, which averaged 2.54 million viewers on ESPN.
Across the three Fever games, the average audience was approximately 1.93 million viewers, compared with 949,000 for the six non‑Fever games that reported numbers. That means Clark’s games attracted roughly 103 % more viewers than the other first‑round matchups.
Comparisons highlight Clark’s impact
When the Fever opened the playoffs on September 27 on ABC, the game drew 2.11 million viewers, 76 % more than the New York–Minnesota opener, which averaged 1.20 million. Even on Prime Video, the Washington–Atlanta opener managed only 425,000 viewers, less than a quarter of Clark’s audience.
Last year, the Fever’s playoff opener without an injured Clark attracted 951,000 viewers on ABC, while the previous year’s opener with Clark pulled 1.84 million – both in the same Sunday afternoon slot opposite the NFL.
Future outlook
These numbers suggest that while Clark’s presence drives strong viewership, the league still has work to turn casual fans into long‑term supporters of all teams. The remaining first‑round games averaged under one million viewers, highlighting the opportunity for other franchises to build on the exposure generated by Clark’s star power.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
