Caitlin Clark’s absence sparks mixed fan reactions to WNBA ratings drop

The Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark, who plays guard for the team, scored an average of 20.0 points and 9.7 assists against the Las Vegas Aces, with 1.93 million people per game watching the Aces. The semifinals have failed to do better since then.

From the source In a post on X, sports account @BrickCenter wrote , “WNBA Playoffs lost 78% of their viewers after Caitlin Clark was eliminated.”

Game 3 between the Fever and Aces was watched by 2.25 million people on USA Network, while Game 1 between the Golden State Valkyries and the Las Vegas Aces had a mere 500,000 viewers.

The slide seems more challenging because the first round raised the bar so high. The round drew an average of 1.3 million viewers, a league record, marking a 37 percent increase from last year, with the Fever’s games averaging 1.93 million viewers compared to 985,000 for the other seven teams.

The situation can be placed into context since the semifinal round started right after Sunday Night Football, and both the Atlanta Dream and New York Liberty attracted 654,000 viewers.

There is a chance for the viewership to rise if the Dream and Angel Reese make it to the finals.

This was how the reaction divided itself online between the people who were thanking Clark and those defending the league’s broader popularity. A number of fans compared the 2.25 million average viewers to the semi-final matches.

“Caitlin Clark moves the ratings,” said a fan.

The games played by the Fever averaged 1.93 million in viewership compared to the average 985,000 for the seven other games in the first round. The third game played by Clark peaked at 2.7 million viewers on USA Network.

“The Clark Effect. Now she gotta get past the first round to help viewership,” read another reaction.

Aces ended the season of the Fever for the second consecutive year with a 94-83 victory in Game 3. However, even Clark’s impressive 20.0 points and 9.7 assists per game did not help them to advance to the semis.

A user commented, “What, they want teams to start letting Caitlin win? Till Caitlin wins a playoff series.”

Clark fouled out in Game 2 because of a questionable decision, while in Game 3 Clark was made to bleed from the mouth after being hit with an elbow by Jewell Loyd.

Another said, “So rest are not fans of the game.”

Game 2 of Valkyries-Wings was viewed by 1.40 million people, just short of the 1.42 million minimum viewership for Fever games in the first round.

Another said, “Nobody cares; a whole lot of good women’s basketball is still being played.”

Wilson scored an average of 32.0 points and 11.7 rebounds in the first round. Arike Ogunbowale of the Dallas Wings made history by scoring 45 points in one game.

With both the Dream and the Valkyries at a 2-0 series lead, the Finals are very close, and the question remains whether fans will come back. The Finals will show whether the audience follows the games or the stars.