New Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese matchup breaks WNBA viewership record

Sunday’s matchup between the Chicago Sky and the Indiana Fever was a thrilling one, with the Sky coming out on top with a narrow 88-87 victory. This game turned out to be the most-viewed WNBA game since 2001, drawing in a record-breaking 2.3 million viewers. The third meeting of the season between star players Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark was highly anticipated, and it did not disappoint.

Reese had a standout performance, scoring a career-high 25 points and grabbing 16 rebounds, while Clark contributed 17 points and 13 assists for the Fever. Despite being down by 15 points at one point, the Sky managed to mount a comeback and secure the win. This game was a rematch between the two teams who had faced off just a week prior, drawing in a large audience once again.

The previous meeting between the Sky and the Fever also garnered high viewership, with an average of 2.252 million viewers tuning in and a peak of nearly 3 million viewers, as reported by CBS Sports. This game marked the most-watched WNBA game in ESPN history, and it was one of three highly-watched games of the season so far. Two of these games featured Clark facing off against Reese, with the third being Clark’s debut game against the Connecticut Sun on opening night.

Sports Media Watch reported that nine WNBA games this season have surpassed the million viewer mark, breaking a 16-year streak without reaching such high viewership numbers. The excitement and talent displayed by players like Reese and Clark have undoubtedly contributed to the increased interest and viewership of the WNBA games in the current season.