Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark missed 34 games this season with two injuries — a left quad issue early on and two groin injuries, the second of which sidelined her for the rest of the year. In the 13 games she did play, the 2024 No. 1 overall pick averaged 16.5 points, 5 rebounds and 8.8 assists.
Though her scoring dipped slightly from her rookie mark of 19.2 points per game, Clark continued to draw national attention and new fans to women’s basketball. Her deep-range shooting, even from the logo, remains unmatched. But when she was out, TV ratings and ticket demand fell consistently.
On Thursday, just hours before the Fever faced the Atlanta Dream in the decisive Game 3 of the first round of the playoffs, sports columnist Christine Brennan highlighted the ratings gap between games Clark played and those she missed.
For example, Game 1 of last year’s playoff series between the Fever and Connecticut Sun drew 1.84 million viewers on ABC. In that game, Clark recorded 11 points, four rebounds and eight assists.
This season’s comparable matchup told a different story. In Game 1 against the Dream, just 951,000 viewers watched the game on ABC.
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It’s clear Clark has been a driving force for the league since her arrival last season. The 23-year-old is already a two-time WNBA All-Star, a 2024 All-WNBA First Team selection and the 2024 Rookie of the Year.
She has also earned an ESPY for Best WNBA Player, among other honors.
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