The popular narrative after Caitlin Clark was sidelined for the season was that the WNBA viewership would nose-dive. It was not without reason: The WNBA has had four most-watched games this regular season, all featuring Clark. That’s not a coincidence either. The Indiana Fever point guard, with her showmanship, logo-3s, and unfathomable passes, is a crowd puller. However, the latest Indiana Fever numbers have just reset expectations.

“Fever-Aces Game 1 on Sunday averaged 1.4 million viewers on ABC. It’s the most-watched semifinal game on Disney networks,” wrote Indy Star’s Chloe Peterson on her X. Interestingly, this was not the only record that shows how the Fever is on the rise. Let us look at some data sets from their regular season and first round of the 2025 playoffs:

• The first 19 Fever games in 2025 saw an average viewership of 1.26 million viewers, a 7% uptick from 2024.
• The Fever’s playoff opener (Game 1 of the First Round) against the Atlanta Dream brought in 951,000 viewers on ABC, despite clashing with the NFL’s week 3
• Game 2 of Fever-Dream averaged 1.5 million viewers on ESPN, making it the second-most-watched first-round Game 2 in WNBA history.
• Game 3 was a slight drop, averaging 1.3 million viewers on ESPN2, while peaking at 1.8 million.

However, they were still not Caitlin Clark numbers. When Fever’s playoff game against the Sun aired on the same slot and same network as an NFL game, it managed double the numbers with 1.84 million viewers. Their first-round series in 2024 averaged approximately 2.17 million viewers over two games. Case in point: Clark is important to the ratings, of course. But not as much as people consider her to be.

The Indiana Fever fans are not just rallying behind No. 22. Now, they are tuning in to watch their team fight through the string of injuries and prove themselves. Before the season began, many pundits, including Rebecca Lobo, considered them fit for a title contention. However, with Clark’s injuries, the Fever became an underdog again. Still, through a carousel of injuries and emergency signings, they kept showing up and showing out, finally reaching the playoffs in a decade. Their story is resonating throughout Indianapolis, throughout the league. And the WNBA fans are loving watching their fast pace, aggressive defense, and pointed offense.

But it is not only about the Fever, either. “Mercury-Lynx was most-watched semifinal* game on ESPN since 1999,” wrote Peterson. The second semi-final matchup garnered 716,000 viewers. Although not exactly comparable, they did invite a record viewership. There has been a distinction between Fever games and others. But the league is catching up, with almost all game 1s surging to double-digit improvement from 2024.

Through the 2025 season as well, the WNBA has seen an overall growth compared to last season, even if it did not draw a parallel to the boost the league saw last season. Here are some numbers to consider:

• Total WNBA games: 794,000 viewers, up 21%
• Fever games: 1.26 million viewers, up 7%
• Non-Fever games: 549,000 viewers, up 37%

Simply put, the league did see growth, especially with the Golden State Valkyries, who have already set a high ceiling for the two new incoming teams next season. But overall, Fever attracting the big names to broadcast their games has continued to overpower all. We did not get a bifurcation on the season-wide data, but the conclusion is that while Clark-games are firing on all cylinders. Still, the non-Clark floor is higher than many expected.

Indiana Fever Will Company At The Top, And It’s A Good Thing

The Golden State Valkyries have arguably set the bar too high. In the first season, they had the highest average attendance with 18,064. Even surpassing the 2025 and 2024 Indiana Fever, who had 16,560 and 17,035, respectively. Moreover, they had the most total fans (397,408) and sold out all 22 home games in their inaugural season. This was higher than the Fever, with 349,313 total fans.

In just their first year, they have become the first women’s sports team to be valued at $500 million, according to an analysis by Sportico. While their individual TV numbers are not available, Valkyries have developed a strong fanbase in the first season itself, without any stars. They were the underdogs in 2025, but as we move to 2026, things will likely change.

The Valkyries have everything to attract the biggest names in the league. They have the crowd, the culture, the coach, and championship aspirations. As more popular players join Valkyries, they could go neck and neck with the Indiana Fever in the viewership standings. The fairytale 2025 season has set them up for a major jump in 2026, on and off the court. If that’s not enough, two new expansion teams from Toronto and Portland are set to join in 2026. While we can’t expect the same success, their arrival adds excitement. That is despite all of the league’s current problems.