REPORT: New Data Shows Just How Screwed the WNBA Is Without Caitlin Clark

Caitlin Clark (Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images)
With Caitlin Clark sidelined for at least two weeks, the WNBA better brace itself for a brief drop in viewership.

On Monday, the Indiana Fever announced that their All-Star guard will miss at least two weeks after straining her left quadriceps. Clark was injured in the club’s 90-88 home loss to the New York Liberty on Saturday.

Indiana’s season-opening win over Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky averaged 2.7 million viewers and had a peak of 3.1 million, as noted by The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch. Multiple reports also stated this was the most-watched WNBA regular season tilt in 25 years.

So for those who think Caitlin Clark isn’t single-handedly influencing WNBA viewership and attendance, the data doesn’t lie. Further information, passed along by Front Office Sports, shows how worrisome her absence is for the WNBA.

As you can see in Front Office Sports’ chart below, the five most-watched WNBA regular season games of the last two years featured Clark and the Fever. Each contest delivered over 2.2 million viewers:

To add insult to injury, ticket prices for the highly anticipated Fever-Sky game on June 7 at the United Center (home of the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks) have also dropped since news of Caitlin Clark’s injury.

If the two-week timeline is accurate, Clark will hopefully return for Indiana’s June 10 road game against the Atlanta Dream. Before the June 7 meeting, the Fever have a road game against the Washington Mystics (tonight), vs. the Connecticut Sun (Friday) and vs. Washington on June 3.

Caitlin Clark Was Off To An Excellent Start Before Injury

Caitlin Clark (Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images)

The 23-year-old Clark was putting up all-world numbers before her quad injury. Through Chicago’s first four contests, the No. 1 pick of 2024 averaged 19.0 points, 9.3 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game.