CAITLIN Clark’s injury woes can’t stop the meteoric rise of the WNBA’s ratings.
Ahead of the WNBA All-Star game, ESPN broadcasted one of its most successful games of all time.
ESPN is still seeing strong WNBA viewership despite Caitlin Clark’s injury[/caption]
Clark has missed 10 games this season with her injuries[/caption]
The July 15 matchup between the Indiana Fever and Connecticut Sun was ESPN’s fifth-most watched WNBA game ever.
The game averaged 1.7 million viewers, which is almost 50 percent more than last season’s average.
WNBA countdown, ESPN’s pregame show, averaged 431,000 viewers.
That is up 29 percent from last year’s average viewership.
Across all ESPN platforms, WNBA viewership has grown by 10 percent.
All of this comes despite continuous injuries to Clark.
She also already missed 10 games due to various different injuries.
The July 15 game against the Sun was her last game before the All-Star break.
Clark was also forced to sit out the entirety of All-Star weekend due to her injuries.
“I’m so excited for Indy to host WNBA All-Star this weekend,” Clark said before the festivities.
“I want to thank the Indianapolis Host Committee and all of the people that have put endless work in over the past year to put this event together. I know this will be the best All-Star yet.
“I am incredibly sad and disappointed to say I can’t participate in the 3-Point Contest or the All-Star Game. I have to rest my body.
“I will still be at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for all the action and I’m looking forward to helping Sandy coach our team to a win.
“Can’t wait to see you all out there!”
While ESPN saw good ratings on the regular season contest, the same couldn’t be said for the All-Star game.
WNBA 2025 All-Star Roster
Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier have been named captains of the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game.
Guards:
- Paige Bueckers* – Dallas Wings
- Caitlin Clark* – Indiana Fever
- Sabrina Ionescu* – New York Liberty
- Allisha Gray* – Atlanta Dream
- Kelsey Mitchell – Indiana Fever
- Skylar Diggins – Seattle Storm
- Kelsey Plum – Los Angeles Sparks
- Brittany Sykes – Washington Mystics
- Natasha Cloud – New York Liberty
- Jackie Young – Las Vegas Aces
Frontcourt:
- Napheesa Collier* – Minnesota Lynx
- A’ja Wilson* – Las Vegas Aces
- Breanna Stewart* – New York Liberty
- Aliyah Boston* – Indiana Fever
- Nneka Ogwumike* – Seattle Storm
- Satou Sabally* – Phoenix Mercury
- Angel Reese – Chicago Sky
- Kiki Iriafen – Washington Mystics
- Gabby Williams – Seattle Storm
- Alyssa Thomas – Phoenix Mercury
*Voted as a starter
Without Clark on the court, the game saw a considerable drop in viewership from last season.
Last year, an average of 3.44 million people tuned in for the WNBA All-Star game.
This year, that number fell by 36 percent down to 2.19 million viewers on ABC.
While the numbers are down, over 2 million viewers is still a huge success.
In 2023, before Clark entered the league, the All-Star game only averaged 850,000 viewers.
