WNBA, which has been around for 28 years now, still struggles to establish its credibility. And so, the league has never been shy about spotlighting the talent within to boost its profile- be it Nancy Lieberman in the 1980s or Maya Moore in the 2010s. However, one recent name has eclipsed them all: Caitlin Clark. The Indiana Fever rookie brought unparalleled attention to a league that averaged just 378000 viewers per game in 2023. Her arrival saw a 225% surge in WNBA regular-season viewership, peaking at 1.23 million per game in 2024. Attendance league-wide jumped 48%, with the Fever leading the charge, drawing over 500,000 fans across 31 home games. It’s not without valid reason hence that ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo called Clark “the golden goose”.
As a result, like always, her team wanted to highlight some recent good news with a post, which ended up raising questions instead of satisfaction. Earlier today, the official X account of the Indiana Fever put out a post featuring Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell. A caption put in the picture itself highlighted ‘41 NATIONAL GAMES’ in bold. In case one still did not get what the post was about, another caption read out “all eyes on us. (fire emoji) 41 of our 44 games on national TV (fire emoji) most national TV games in franchise history (fire emoji) most national TV games for a single team in WNBA history”.
all eyes on us.
41 of our 44 games on national TV
most national TV games in franchise history
most national TV games for a single team in WNBA history
learn more: https://t.co/yZFUGBFHxl pic.twitter.com/0hZunHimzN
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) March 20, 2025
The same post came out only hours after the WNBA announced its 2025 national broadcast schedule. According to the official breakdown, the Fever will be featured on NBA TV 10 times, ABC and ESPN 5 times each, ION 8 times, CBS 4 times, and CBS Sports Network 3 times. On top of that, 6 games will be streamed on Prime Video.
Not all games will be shown by the stated broadcasting networks. However, it is still a major win for the Indiana Fever. No other franchise has achieved this in the WNBA history! After all, the Fever played only 36 of their 40 2024 regular-season games on national broadcasts. And if we are to talk about 2023, only 25/40 games were available on a national platform, TV, or streaming networks. Furthermore, the Fever games set to be broadcasted are still higher than the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty’s 33 and 32 games respectively. All of this does nothing but speak in praise of the popularity that Clark has brought to the WNBA.
While Caitlin is a powerhouse on the court, off-court, too, her impact has been seismic: in 2024, six different WNBA broadcast partners set viewership records for their highest-rated games, all featuring the Fever. Fever GM Lin Dunn called it a “turning point for the franchise” in a September 2024 interview, noting, “To have fans hanging from the rafters and sold-out arenas not only at home but on the road … it means the world to me.”
However, even though the spotlight remains on Caitlin Clark, the team’s success isn’t a solo act. Aliyah Boston, crowned the 2023 Rookie of the Year, hauled in 8.9 rebounds per game in her second season—ranking her among the WNBA’s top 10. Not to forget Kelsey Mitchell, who has consistently kept pace with Clark, averaging 19.2 points per night and securing her second consecutive All-Star selection.
Furthermore, their on-court synergy is a great example of the “Horns Chest” play that Sporting News’ Steph Noh lauded as a defensive nightmare. Blending Clark’s pinpoint passing with Mitchell’s sharpshooting with Boston’s dominance inside- master move indeed! Why wouldn’t one tune in to experience this thrill 41 times?
And yet, fans remain unsettled, questioning the why behind 41 national broadcasts.
WNBA community questions the absence of 3 games from the broadcasting schedule
Immediately zeroing in on the three games left out, one social media user wrote, “I’m shocked it’s not 44/44.”
There is no exact official reason given for why not all WNBA games are broadcast. However, it is important to remember that the number of broadcasts on each network is determined by negotiated agreements. There may be a reason why some networks may not choose to invest in the games more than others. One reason is that the WNBA has reportedly struggled to command the same level of support and recognition as the NBA. This has led to lower revenue viewership and salaries for its players. This directly impacts the networks’ willingness to dedicate prime broadcast slots.
I’m shocked it’s not 44/44.
— PrimeTyyme21 (@PrimeTyyme21) March 20, 2025
One individual wrote, “Can the other 3 be viewed with League Pass on the WNBA app?”
Well, the league pass does boast of featuring every out-of-market game live. This excludes the unusual national exclusions and local blackouts. On top of that, the league pass also offers Full-length replays of every game. With 41 games already locked into networks like ABC, ESPN, and CBS, the remaining three are likely candidates for local broadcasts or League Pass exclusivity—assuming they aren’t blacked out in Indiana due to regional sports network deals. For fans outside the Fever’s market, League Pass, priced at $34.99 annually, offers a lifeline, though its limitations frustrate in-market viewers,
One social media user wrote “lol, which three games that isn’t on national TV?”
The 3 games that the stated networks will not televise include a June 10th matchup at Atlanta and a July 5th home game against the Los Angeles Sparks. This also included a July 30th home game against the Phoenix Mercury. The local broadcast schedule for these games will be announced in due course.
September 1, 2024, Arlington, Texas, USA: Indiana Fever guard CAITLIN CLARK 22 being guarded by Dallas Wings guard JACY SHELDON 4 during a WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA game between the Indiana Fever and Dallas Wings at College Park Center. The Fever win 100-93. Arlington USA – ZUMAf180 20240901_zsp_f180_023 Copyright: xMarkxFannx
One individual commented on the unfairness by commenting “We need the other 3 games to be televised, to be honest”. Given the low numbers for other teams, one can look at this as a ‘Glass Half-Full, Glass Half-Empty’ situation. For the Indiana Fever, the water in the glass is right at the rim with just a small gap in the upper area.
One social media user wrote “The other 3 gonna be added cause I mean we know they all wanna see Caitlin (face blowing a kiss emoji)”.
Well, the opinion cannot be denied. After all, according to a September 2024 report, no WNBA game had averaged more than 1 million viewers since 2008. However, before the report’s release, the WNBA saw 23 games hit seven figures in viewership. Clark was reportedly involved in all but 3 of those games. In a rematch against Angel Reese’s LSU back in college, Clark’s Hawkeyes helped shatter the viewership record with 12.3 million viewers. The game became the most-watched women’s college basketball game ever. Therefore, if anyone can improve those numbers for the next season, it is Clark majorly.
Overall, the majority of reactions highlighted concern for the Indiana Fever not receiving a full schedule. However, the same should not dissuade you from watching the rest of the games from the comfort of your home. Better yet, if you are still concerned about the 3 games, now is your chance to go out and grab a ticket for any one of the games. Enjoy the WNBA experience live!
The post WNBA Putting Caitlin Clark on Pedestal Fails to Satisfy Indiana Community as 41-Game Spectacle Falls Flat appeared first on EssentiallySports.
