The Indiana Fever's recent game against the Atlanta Dream, headlined by a matchup between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, achieved a record-breaking 2.6 million average viewers on ESPN. This figure makes it the most-watched WNBA game in cable television history, encompassing both regular season and playoff games.
The audience peaked at 4 million viewers as the game went into overtime, ultimately won by the Fever 95-91. The average viewership for this game represents a 178% increase compared to ESPN's WNBA regular-season average from the previous year. Clark led the Fever with 26 points and nine assists, while Reese contributed 15 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists for the Dream.
This latest record surpassed a previous mark of 2.3 million viewers set in June 2024 by another game featuring Clark's Fever against Reese's then-team, the Chicago Sky, also on ESPN. Clark's WNBA debut against the Connecticut Sun, which averaged 2.11 million viewers on ESPN2, now ranks as the third-most-watched WNBA cable broadcast.
Just five days prior to the Fever-Dream game, a matchup between the Fever and the New York Liberty averaged 2 million viewers on ESPN, which at the time was the third-highest-rated regular-season WNBA game on cable.
The WNBA has seen a significant increase in viewership with Clark's entry into the league. Through 25 games, WNBA broadcasts on ESPN networks are averaging 1.4 million viewers, an increase of 16% year-over-year. The rivalry between Clark and Reese, which dates back to their college careers, appears to be a significant draw for a wider audience.
Atlanta's Angel Reese shot 5 of 16 from the field and had four turnovers in the game, while Clark secured the win with clutch free throws. The game itself was a closely contested affair, with Indiana erasing an eight-point deficit in the second half to force overtime.
The game between the Portland Fire and Phoenix Mercury that followed the Fever-Dream matchup on ESPN averaged 1.4 million viewers. This game was notable as it occurred on the night Phoenix retired Diana Taurasi's jersey, and it was ESPN's most-watched regular-season WNBA game that did not feature the Indiana Fever. However, the viewership for this second game dropped significantly from the record-setting lead-in audience.