Women’s sports have risen in popularity over the last ten years – but one athlete has forever changed the trajectory of the WNBA. Caitlin Clark already had name recognition as a college all-star who had broken the all-time Division one scoring record when she entered the WNBA draft in 2024. Few were surprised to see Clark picked first by the Indiana Fever, though what was surprising was the 2.45 million viewers who tuned in to watch her selection. This shattered WNBA draft viewership records – a 323% viewership increase from the previous year.
The draft was only the beginning. With Clark and many other incredibly talented college players joining the WNBA, ticket sales and viewership soared. Three teams announced season-ticket sellouts. Clark’s debut game on May 14 pulled in 2.1 million viewers, the most for any WNBA game in her lifetime and the most viewers for a WNBA game broadcast on ESPN. The hype around Clark only continued. When ABC broadcast her first game in a Fever uniform, the network reported that it was their most-watched WNBA game ever, bringing in 1.7 million viewers.
“She raises the whole level of play for everybody. Social media helps get the storylines out and get the messaging out. She just brings a huge fan base that knows basketball,” Cathay Engelbert, league commissioner of the WNBA, said. “She’s helping lift the profile of all of these players.” Following the WNBA’s success and Caitlin Clark’s phenomena, the league announced they would add four new teams next season, including the Golden State Valkyries in San Francisco and another in Toronto.
As the league continues to grow, the next step will be to see the salaries of its stars increase as well. Many expressed outrage over Clark’s surprisingly low wage in her first year playing with the Fever. Overall, professional female athletes make far less than their male counterparts. In 2019, the US Women’s National Soccer Team filed a lawsuit against the US Soccer Federation over pay discrimination.
As Caitlin Clark continues to attract more attention to the WNBA, she’s also inspiring young athletes. Thanks to Clark and the young talent she’s encouraging, Engelbert is excited to see continued growth and anticipation over future draft picks.
