WNBA Recognizes Caitlin Clark Effect

Robin Lundberg | Jul 26, 2024

Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY

Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark has earned a well deserved rest, that after also earning her WNBA respect. But although she may not be taking the court again until the Fever resume play on August 16th, her effect has been felt all across the league. The W is fresh off a record-setting All-Star Game, just secured a big new media rights deal, and has seen merchandise sales surge. Clark is clearly the driving force behind the explosive growth, something the WNBA does not deny.

WNBA Chief Growth Officer Colie Edison during the All-Star Weekend.

"I'm not gonna deny the Caitlin Clark effect"#WNBA #FeverRising pic.twitter.com/VKjieEaO5k

— Ashwin (@Sudharsan_ak) July 26, 2024

The league's Chief Growth Officer Colie Edison told the Indianapolis Star exactly that during All-Star weekend. "I'm not gonna deny the Caitlin Clark effect. And we've really seen it most importantly in viewership, you know, our average viewership numbers are over 1.2 million. And so that sort of growth is important because we're opening the aperture and bringing in new fans. So Caitlin was really a catalyst to bringing in a lot of new fans, as well as our other rookies, who came in through NCAA into this draft. It's been an amazing draft class to watch."

The WNBA could make up to $3 billion (or more) in media rights fee over the next 11 years in a landmark new deal.

It comes as the league is seeing a surge in viewership, spurred by Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.https://t.co/8S7qhCvZqK

— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) July 26, 2024

That average viewership number of 1.2 million referenced is particularly staggering given the W had not seen a number over a million since 2008 prior to this season. Meanwhile, Fever games routinely far exceed a million viewers. That upward trend goes for attendance as well, as the team is first overall with an average of 16,698 fans per contest. Up from around 4,000 a season ago. With some opposing teams also notably moving into bigger arenas to accommodate demand when Indy has come into town.

So it probably shouldn't be newsworthy for the league to acknowledge the effect of Clark, because it has been obvious to anyone paying attention. With a lot more people falling into that category now, since so many are clearly watching.