TV viewing figures have been released for the 2024 WNBA season and the impact of the rookie rivalry between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese is clear for all to see.
Clark was the first overall pick in this year’s draft and she has enjoyed a sensational rookie season with Indiana Fever. Reese, who was picked seventh by Chicago Sky, has also impressed with an average of over 13 points and 13 rebounds per game.
The league’s two new superstars have helped WNBA viewing figures soar. The regular season averaged 1.2million viewers, which is a monumental 170-per-cent jump on last year’s figures.
The two most-watched WNBA games ever on American TV channel ABC, and the most-watched ever on ESPN2, both featured Clark’s Fever. The WNBA finals also enjoyed a significant boost in viewership from 2023.
Games three, four and five between New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx were watched by record cable audiences, as the finals on the whole averaged 1.6m viewers – a 115-per-cent increase on last year and the largest figure for a quarter of a century.
The importance of Clark and Reese, who were much-hyped in college before transferring their skills to the WNBA, is evidenced by the fact that the WNBA battle between Clark’s Fever and Reese’s Sky was the most-watched game of the entire season with 2.3m viewers.
Furthermore, the draft itself drew in 2.4m viewers, which is an extraordinary 328-per-cent increase on 2023. WNBA players have sought to build on the league’s rise in popularity by opting out of their collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the league and demanding more favourable terms.
Players’ Association president Nneka Ogwumike said: “This is a defining moment, not just for the WNBA, but for all of us who believe in progress. The world has evolved since [the CBA was reached in] 2020, and we cannot afford to stand still.
“If we stay in the current agreement, we fall behind. Opting out isn’t just about bigger paychecks, it’s about claiming our rightful share of the business we’ve built, improving working conditions, and securing a future where the success we create benefits today’s players and the generations to come.”
Back in July, Ogwumike said: “With this surge of attention, accessibility, visibility and, of course, investment in dollars, the most pressing thing to consider right now is how we use those dollars to continue to grow and also value the players, and seeing what that looks like in what feels like a very transformational period in our league.”
