Any attempt to distance the surge in attention the WNBA has enjoyed in recent years from Caitlin Clark is, without doubt, a stretch. The evidence is clear; people watch her. The league office and its national broadcast partners understand this as well. So, their decision to have all 44 of the Indiana Fever’s regular-season games broadcast on national TV this year should, at the very least, be viewed as understandable, if not outright smart. 

As it appears, award-winning journalist Dawn Montgomery, is not impressed with this decision. “They ain’t won shit, but will be viewed the most on television by y’all,” she wrote on X, reacting to the news. “I’m still not watching nor attending their games. Even when they play the Dream. Year two for me choosing to do this.” Of course, not everyone will be impressed. And it’s understandable if you don’t consider yourself a fan of Caitlin Clark or the Indiana Fever. That’s a normal part of sports.

But as it appears, the WNBA has no time to appeal to any single fanbase here, because when it comes to viewership and revenue, only what works matters. And the records are there to show that Caitlin Clark, and by extension the Indiana Fever, do work. Last season, 2025, regular-season games featuring Clark averaged 1.2 million viewers.

That’s roughly 200% higher than the average for games in which she did not play. Also in 2024, her first season in the league, the WNBA saw 23 games draw more than one million viewers. Guess what? Caitlin Clark played in 20 of those 23 games. Before her arrival, the league had not seen a million-viewer game since 2008.

In fact, in that 2024 season, the Indiana Fever set a league record with over 340,000 total home fans, that’s roughly a 300% increase year-over-year. And even when she plays on the road, opposing teams see an average attendance jump of 87% to 105%. The economic contribution that followed was massive as well. Specifically, economists estimated that Caitlin Clark was responsible for approximately 26.5% of the WNBA’s entire economic activity in 2024, including revenue from merchandise, tickets, and television.

The WNBA has simply leaned into this reality for the 2026 season. And it’s hard to argue that this is not a smart choice. And of course, they will be setting a record, making the Indiana Fever the only team to have every one of their games nationally televised. Dawn Montgomery might not be happy with it, but this decision is not about emotions.

And perhaps, she might be a little bit right in saying the Fever haven’t won as much. But then, they haven’t been all that bad as well, especially in the last season. They’ve made the playoffs in the past two seasons and even reached the WNBA playoffs semifinals in 2025. In fact, they won the Commissioner’s Cup as well. So even if the merit system is based on wins, they are not totally disqualified.

But all the same, it’s a numbers game here. The numbers have shown that Caitlin Clark has been the primary catalyst for the league’s historic surge in viewership and attendance. Regardless of what Dawn Montgomery thinks, the numbers don’t lie. But it’s okay if she feels that way, or if she’s not a fan. After all, what is sport without a little bit of rivalry?

Broadcast Backlash Shifts Focus to Ratings, Revenue, and WNBA Growth

With her reaction to the WNBA’s Fever broadcast decision, it’s quite obvious that Dawn Montgomery is not very much of a fan of the Indiana Fever or of Caitlin Clark. While that might be understandable, the manner with which she expressed her sentiment seemed a little too pointed, something many fans interpreted as outright dislike.

“Just say you hate Caitlin at this point,” one fan said, reacting to her comments. “Because that’s exactly what this is. There’s other players on the Fever that you could support & watch too. For you to dislike Caitlin is ridiculous bcuz what has she done to anyone? Yeah, her fanbase is hateful, racist & vile a*s people. But that’s not Caitlin.” Another, in a more sarcastic tone, added, “Hahaha… a Montgomery hating on the Fever, the sky is still blue…”

Some fans were even quite sarcastic about the whole thing. “I’m sure all the Fever ladies wake up every morning and say, ‘Damn, I hope Dawn Montgomery watches my games this season,'” one fan said. “What will the WNBA do without the views of Dawn Montgomery 😱😱😱,” another added.

For some fans, however, they believed Dawn Montgomery’s comments, or at least actions and behaviors like hers, could eventually put a dent on the WNBA’s growth as a whole. As one fan said, “This is the negativity that’s driving viewers away. Lean into it and soon all teams will get their dues.” Another fan also said, “Someday, maybe you’ll choose to uplift women in sports. Until then, prayers of healing for the hate in your heart. 🙏”

Quite a number of fans also did well to point out the obvious that “advertisers don’t care about feelings. They’re out to make money. And that’s how businesses succeed.” And of course, that’s how it actually works.

The WNBA league office and its national broadcast partners make their decisions on which matchups to air based on viewership potential. Right now, the numbers point at Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever. As some fans pointed out, it’s just quite ironic that an award-winning journalist like Dawn Montgomery wouldn’t understand this.