WNBA reports record TV, court-side audiences with rookie sensations Clark, Reese main attractions

Increased fan engagement in the WNBA this year is proving to be a profitable investment for TV networks, owing it to notable players in the 2024 rookie class.
Clark and Reese Jun. 1, 2024.
By Mara K. Bell

The WNBA reports record-breaking viewership and attendance for the start of the 2024 season – driven by a rookie class that includes the Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark and the Chicago Sky's Angel Reese.

For roughly the first month of the regular season, which started in mid-May, the league averaged 1.3 million viewers per game, tripling last season’s average of 462,000 viewers.

“What’s happening now in women’s basketball is confirmation of what we’ve always known: The demand is there, and women’s sports is a valuable investment,” said Colie Edison, the WNBA's chief growth officer.

Clark, a deft shooting guard, in her final season at the University of Iowa, set the record for the most points as an NCAA basketball player – male or female. 

Reese, who played at Louisiana State University, was a first-team All-American in college and in her 2022-23 season led the team to an NCAA championship. 

The league on Monday also reported about 4,000 fans, across 12 teams, attracted a total of 400,000 fans in May, the most first-month attendees in 26 years. And over half of all WNBA games were sellouts – a 156% increase from last year, according to Axios News.