Caitlin Clark and the WNBA: Why Everyone Is Tuning In (Even Late at Night!)

Riley Gaines Talks About the Caitlin Clark Situation

A short video on the page featured Riley Gaines, another sports figure. She spoke about the tricky situation around WNBA star Caitlin Clark. Here’s what she said, in simple terms:

• Some people think Clark is treated badly on the court because of her race (skin color) or sexuality (who she loves). Gaines says that’s not true.
• Gaines says the meanness comes from jealousy — other players are upset because Clark is super talented.
• She also says the league is "self-imploding" (meaning it’s hurting itself from the inside) because of this behavior.
• Gaines points out that the rules or reactions seem different for different players, which isn’t fair.

A Super Big TV Moment for the Indiana Fever

On a Wednesday night, Caitlin Clark’s team, the Indiana Fever, played against the Los Angeles Sparks. Here’s what happened:

• Clark had hurt her back in a game on June 24 against the Phoenix Mercury. She missed two weeks.
• She came back for this game but played only 16 minutes (a short time) and scored just 9 points.
• The Fever lost the game, 106-92. They were behind the whole second half and never got closer than 9 points down in the final quarter.
• But the TV numbers were amazing! According to USA Sports PR (a group that shares sports TV info), the game averaged 1.04 million viewers on USA Network and CNBC. Those are cable channels, not free broadcast TV.

Important Point: This was the first time in WNBA history that a game starting at 10 p.m. Eastern Time (late night on the East Coast) averaged over 1 million viewers. It was also the most-watched WNBA game ever on those cable networks, up 149% from the 2025 cable average (using Nielsen Big Data + Panel, a way to count viewers).

Why This Is Like a Magic Trick (ELI5)

Imagine you have a lemonade stand. Normally, only a few people come. But if your famous friend stands nearby, suddenly a huge line forms — even if it’s raining and late at night. That’s Caitlin Clark.

Here’s how we know Clark’s late-night number is mind-blowing:

1. Before Clark joined, the WNBA went almost 16 years without any game getting 1 million viewers.
2. The old record was in 2008, when Candace Parker played her first game. That needed a Saturday afternoon (friendly time) on ABC (a big free channel) and got 1.07 million.
3. Clark’s game got 1 million on a Wednesday at 10 p.m. on cable — a much harder setting.

Clark’s Other Huge Crowd Numbers

Even in easier settings, Clark has pulled massive crowds:

• Opening weekend vs Dallas Wings on ABC: 2.49 million viewers (4th largest WNBA audience since 2000, including playoffs and All-Star Games).
• Later vs New York Liberty on CBS: 2.56 million viewers (3rd largest ever of any kind since 2000).
• A picture caption in the article says she is "the most popular player in the WNBA by a wide margin." That’s true.

The original piece also nods to other reports, like one titled "Caitlin Clark breaks WNBA record as Fever humiliate defending champion Aces in Las Vegas," showing her impact in big games.

The Fever Without Clark? Still Popular!

Here’s a twist that actually proves Clark’s power:

• On July 5, the Fever played the Las Vegas Aces without Clark. That game got 1.55 million viewers on ESPN’s "Women’s Sports Sundays." That was the biggest cable/streaming WNBA audience of the season at that time.
• Some folks thought this meant Clark isn’t needed. But the article says the opposite!
• Because Clark made the Fever famous, people now watch them even when she sits out.
• Proof: Two other ESPN Sunday games without the Fever (Liberty-Valkyries 743k, Liberty-Sparks 778k) each got less than the Fever-no-Clark game.
• Sports Media Watch noted the five most-watched WNBA games this season all featured Indiana (the Fever).

Key Takeaway: Clark turned the Fever into the league’s most important TV team. Her magic spreads to the whole team, so fans tune in even without her.

The Bigger WNBA Story

The article also mentions:

• The WNBA and its fans say the league’s growth is a broad women’s basketball success. There’s some truth: more people watch than a few years ago.
• Even non-Fever games getting 700k+ is a big jump from pre-Clark times.
• The league will expand to 50 regular-season games starting in 2027, the longest schedule ever (from a linked headline).
• Another linked headline noted "WNBA wants a bigger story than Caitlin Clark, but TV ratings keep pointing back to her" — which fits the data.
• But every time a historic TV record happens, the common factor is Clark.

Summary

Let’s wrap it up like a story:

• Riley Gaines says Clark’s on-court trouble is from jealousy of her skill, not race or sexuality.
• Caitlin Clark and Indiana Fever played a late-night cable game and still got 1.04 million viewers — a first for a 10 p.m. ET start.
• Clark’s past games got over 2.5 million on big channels.
• Even without her, the Fever draws huge numbers because she built the team’s brand.
• The WNBA is growing, but the biggest sparks come from Clark.
• This article was reported by Dan Zaksheske at OutKick.

FAQ

1. Who is Caitlin Clark?

She is a very popular basketball player for the Indiana Fever in the WNBA, a league for women’s basketball. She is like a superstar that many people want to watch.

2. Why is 1.04 million viewers such a big deal?

Because the game was on a Wednesday at 10 p.m. Eastern Time (late!), on cable channels (not free TV), and the WNBA rarely hits 1 million. It’s the first time a 10 p.m. ET game did that.

3. Did the Fever win the game against the Sparks?

No, they lost 106-92. But the TV audience was the real winner.

4. What did Riley Gaines say about Clark?

She said the unkind treatment Clark gets is because other players are jealous of her talent, not because of Clark’s race or who she loves. She also said the league is hurting itself.

5. Is the WNBA popular without Clark?

It is more popular than before, but the record-breaking numbers almost always involve Clark or her team. Her presence lifts the whole league and especially the Fever.