A fracas between the faces of the WNBA created a new viewership landmark for ESPN’s women’s basketball coverage.
WNBA coverage once again hit a feverish jackpot when the Indiana Fever and Las Vegas Aces did battle on ESPN’s airwaves.
The Worldwide Leader announced that the star-studded Sunday clash between Indianapolis and Sin City gained the third-best audience for a regular season game in the history of its WNBA coverage (since the league’s inception in 1997).
It’s the latest viewership landmark in what has already been an attention-grabbing regular season, which has reached the end of its first quarter. Another game involving the Fever, namely their season-opening triumph over the Chicago Sky, set the all-time record at 2.7 million at the top of the year. Even the “WNBA Countdown” pregame show drew a fair amount of attention, enjoying a 33 percent increase from last season to the tune of 443,000 viewers before the Aces and Fever tipped off.
An average of 1.7 million watched Caitlin Clark and A’ja Wilson, commonly viewed as the faces of the modern W, do battle at T-Mobile Arena. The latter’s Aces prevail by an 89-81 final despite a 26-point, 10-rebound box score for Aliyah Boston. Eyes peaked at 2.2 million in a game was moved to the home of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights in anticipation of a larger attendance, which featured its own showdown between Clark supporters and the Aces’ expansive fanbase.
Caitlin Clark and A’ja Wilson Delivered Standout Performances
It proved to be a triumphant showcase for Wilson, as the three-time MVP put up 24 points and seven rebounds to help end a three-game losing streak for the Aces (6-7). For the visiting Fever (6-7), Clark registered a 19-point, 10-assist double-double but shot 1-of-10 from three-point range.
Bristol’s next women’s hoops showcase lands on Sunday late afternoon when the Sky does battle with the Los Angeles Sparks in SoCal (4 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags