Caitlin Clark’s impact continues to be felt around the WNBA, as the No. 1 overall pick’s effect on the numbers continues to rise.
After a standout opening month following Clark’s arrival, the W announced Monday that more than 400,000 fans attended the games in May. Last month’s attendance is the largest in 26 years, which is impressive considering the league is entering its 28th season.
Additionally, the league’s viewership has increased dramatically since Clark’s arrival.
Across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and CBS, WNBA games average 1.32 million viewers – nearly triple last season’s standard of 462,200 viewers.
Indiana’s May 14 game against the Connecticut Sun, May 18 against the New York Liberty and May 20 against the Sun all set viewership records as the most-watched WNBA games on their respective networks.
Caitlin Clark’s rookie year helped the WNBA’s numbers grow in the first month of the season
The opening game between Indiana and Connecticut on May 14 averaged 2.12 million viewers
The opening night game between Indiana and Connecticut on May 14 averaged 2.12 million viewers on ESPN 2, May 18 averaged 1.71 million on ABC and May 20 averaged 1.56 million on ESPN.
The strong rookie class that entered the WNBA Draft in April has also contributed to the overall growth, as three newcomers rank in the top five in jersey sales.
Merchandise sales are up 236 percent from last season, with Clark, Angel Reese and Cameron Brink all in the top five.
During the first two weeks of the season, WNBA League Pass subscriptions tripled and reached the highest average minutes watched in history. The number of Subscriptions from May 2023 increased by 335 percent last month.
Finally, the arenas were filled to an average of 94 percent capacity – an increase of 17 percent from last season.
The WNBA announced Monday that more than 400,000 fans attended games in May
Clark and fellow rookies Angel Reese and Cameron Brink are in the top five for jersey sales
Arenas were filled to an average of 94 percent capacity across the league in the first month
In a press release, WNBA Chief Growth Officer Colie Edison said the recent growth is the materialization of their belief in the league.
“What’s happening now in women’s basketball is confirmation of what we’ve always known: the demand is there and women’s sports are a worthwhile investment,” Elison said.
“We are encouraged by the growing engagement across all our verticals, especially as we welcome new and diverse audiences to our fandom,” Elison added. “The WNBA continues to experience continued growth as our league embraces this increased momentum.”
