Caitlin Clark gets more views that Victor Wembanyama and the Philadelphia 76ers (Image credits: @caitlinclark22, @wemby/Instagram)

Caitlin Clark outduels Victor Wembanyama and 76ers in 2024 TV viewership: Report

Modified Sep 23, 2024 22:09 GMT

Caitlin Clark's popularity, which was already great during her college days, has grown further in her inaugural WNBA season. Fans have flocked to arenas and turned on their televisions in record numbers to watch the Indiana Fever star.

A report shared by Sports Media Watch revealed that Clark averaged more viewers this year than Victor Wembanyama and the Philadelphia 76ers. The Fever rookie averaged 1.18 million views across all networks.

Wemby, the 2023 top pick, averaged 1.01 million viewers and the Sixers averaged 1.08 million viewers last season.

Clark's ratings did lag behind the NBA's most popular names though. LeBron James and the Lakers averaged 1.66 million viewers last season. She also failed to match the Boston Celtics' 1.34 million viewership total.

However, her drawing power is a testament to how the WNBA has evolved. Clark has made women's basketball a leading sport in the American market especially and the global market in general. That is something the ROTY candidate can be quite proud of.

Also read: Jason Whitlock reacts to Caitlin Clark's disappointing playoff debut: "This is what Diana Taurasi was talking about"

The Caitlin Clark Effect: The 2024 WNBA season has more viewers

The 2024 WNBA regular season has wrapped up and the league achieved an incredible feat. Thanks to the popularity that Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese brought with them when they were drafted, more fans have paid attention to the league.

According to ESPN, there was an incredible increase in viewership this season compared to the previous ones.

The league registered 1.2 million viewers, a 170% increase from the 2023 WNBA season. Even WNBA Countdown, ESPN's dedicated show for the league, saw an increase this season. The show averaged 508,000 viewers, a +113% increase from last season.

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Clark's first game against her college and rookie rival Angel Reese registered as one of the most viewed games in WNBA history. It garnered 2.35 million viewers, despite a disappointing game from the Indiana rookie, who only had 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

Clark broke the record months later during the All-Star game. Both rookies were named All-Stars in their rookie years and it garnered 3.4 million viewers. It became the third most-watched WNBA game in history.

Even attendance in Indiana hit an all-time high. In terms of attendance, the team recorded 17,036 per home game, which leads the league.

Also read: "I ain't gonna let it slide" - Shannon Sharpe hits back against Caitlin Clark critics after Fever star's playoff debut