WNBA ratings drop during Caitlin Clark’s injury absence

The WNBA has seen a significant drop in TV ratings while Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark remains sidelined with a quad injury. 

Clark has missed five straight games after she strained a quadriceps during the Fever’s 90-88 loss to the New York Liberty last month. 

Initially, she was expected to miss two weeks, but the second-year guard has yet to be cleared for Saturday’s game against the Liberty, which will mark three weeks. 

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) questions an official May 4, 2025, during a preseason game against the Brazilian national team at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. (Imagn)

Her absence on the court has not only hurt the Fever. It’s hurt the WNBA’s TV ratings.

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USA Today reported Thursday that, according to Nielsen data, nationally televised WNBA viewership is down 55% since Clark was injured May 24. The report said nationally televised Fever games are also down 53%. 

OutKick clarified those numbers, reporting that of the four previous games Clark played in, two were aired on CBS and ABC. A third was broadcast on NBA TV, and a fourth was not rated by Nielsen because it was broadcast on Amazon Prime. 

Three of the four Fever games after Clark was injured were aired on either NBA TV or ION. And the Fever’s most recent game against the Chicago Sky drew an average of 1.92 million viewers, the WNBA announced Tuesday. 

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) and Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) shake hands before a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis May 17, 2025. (Trevor Ruszkowski/magn Images)

FEVER, SKY MATCHUP DRAWS BIG VIEWERSHIP AS AN INJURED CAITLIN CLARK CHEERS FROM SIDELINES

Those numbers reflect the third-highest viewership for a game carried by CBS. It was also a big increase over the network’s average regular season game viewership. But it was a drop from the season opener between those two teams. 

Fever head coach Stephanie White said Monday the team is ready for Clark to start “ramping back up,” but she did not say if she was cleared yet for basketball activities. White added Thursday that Clark and Sophie Cunningham, who’s been sidelined since May 30, had “limited” reps during practice. 

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) with head coach Stephanie White during the third quarter against the Brazilian National Team at Carver-Haweye Arena.  (Jeffrey Becker/Imagn Images)

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Clark is averaging 19 points, 9.3 assists and six rebounds in four games this season. 

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