In a historic moment for women's basketball, Caitlin Clark's selection as the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever has shattered a 20-year-old television ratings record. The draft, aired on ESPN, drew an unprecedented 2.45 million viewers, a figure that eclipses the previous record set in 2004 when Diana Taurasi was drafted by the Phoenix Mercury, which attracted 601,000 viewers.
Clark, a former Iowa star, has been a significant catalyst in the surge of viewership for women's basketball. Her NCAA basketball scoring record of 3,951 career points has made her a household name. The three most-watched women's basketball games on record all featured Clark, including her final game at Iowa, which drew a staggering 18.7 million viewers.
The 22-year-old's influence extends beyond the college game. Her entry into the WNBA, a league where high TV ratings are a rarity, is expected to bring a significant boost. The 2023 WNBA Finals was the most-watched in 20 years, averaging 728,000 viewers on ESPN, but it's been 16 years since a WNBA game last broke the million-viewer mark.
The Indiana Fever, Clark's new team, is set to benefit from her popularity. This season, 36 of the Fever’s 40 games will be broadcast on nationally distributed media platforms, a significant increase from the 22 games shown nationally last season. The Fever's games will be aired on a variety of platforms including ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, CBS, and Amazon Prime Video.
Other notable selections in the 2024 WNBA Draft included Stanford’s Cameron Brink, who was picked second by the Los Angeles Sparks, and South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso, who was chosen third by the Chicago Sky. LSU’s Angel Reese, the draft’s No. 7 pick, will also be joining Cardoso in the Windy City.
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