After much anticipation, the WNBA ratings from Sunday’s games are in, and the numbers are revealing. Caitlin Clark, the basketball phenom who dominated the league’s ratings throughout the season, is no longer playing, and her absence is noticeable. As fans await her return to the WNBA, Sunday’s semifinals show that the league is facing significant challenges without her star power.
The Aces and Liberty, last year’s finalists, faced off in a highly anticipated rematch, featuring two of the league’s MVPs, Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Lynx played against the Connecticut Sun in another semifinal game. Despite the star-studded matchups, the ratings didn’t live up to expectations.
On Sunday, the Aces-Liberty game, aired on ABC, drew 929,000 viewers. While this is an improvement over last season’s best Aces-Liberty Finals game, which attracted 889,000 viewers on ESPN, it’s far from impressive for a marquee matchup on a major network. To put things into perspective, Caitlin Clark’s games consistently broke the 1 million mark, even 21 times in the season, peaking at 2.54 million viewers during her playoff run on ESPN, with a high of 3.4 million viewers. Clark alone drew more viewers than any WNBA game this season, underscoring her unparalleled impact on the league’s visibility.
Sunday’s numbers further highlight the disparity. The Connecticut Sun and Lynx game drew just 654,000 viewers, underscoring a trend that the WNBA has struggled with: the league’s ratings without Clark are notably lower. Last season, games not featuring Caitlin Clark averaged around 394,000 viewers, a significant drop compared to the millions tuning in for her games.
A’ja Wilson, touted as the league’s face and this season’s MVP, failed to draw the same numbers in the semifinals as Caitlin Clark. Despite being a dominant player, Wilson’s game didn’t break the 1 million mark, raising questions about the league’s broader appeal beyond Clark’s presence. Wilson, who has her own shoe deal, has often been spotlighted as the next big star in the WNBA, but the numbers suggest that fans are more drawn to Clark’s playing style and energy.
The WNBA now faces a critical juncture. As its media rights deal approaches renewal in three years, the league must grapple with how to maintain strong viewership without relying solely on Caitlin Clark. The league’s leadership, from Commissioner Cathy Engelbert down to the players, must find ways to improve engagement, from better fan interaction to handling press conferences and media relations more effectively. Without significant changes, the league could see its future funding and media deals at risk.
Clark’s absence this season has exposed vulnerabilities within the WNBA’s structure. Fans have voiced frustrations, particularly about the league’s perceived alienation of Indiana Fever supporters, and the handling of incidents such as the controversial Kennedy Carter flagrant foul. The WNBA must address these concerns if it hopes to retain its audience and capitalize on the attention that Clark has brought to the league.
As the season progresses, the WNBA’s next steps will be critical in determining its future. Will the league manage to broaden its appeal beyond Clark’s magnetic draw, or will it continue to struggle without her star power? One thing is certain: the numbers don’t lie, and they are sending a clear message.
