According to data provided by ESPN, the WNBA’s breakout star, Caitlin Clark, is now America’s fourth most popular athlete.
ESPN’s Flora Kelly notes that the network’s personalization data shows that the Indiana Fever star has soared into the top five and sits in fourth place behind LeBron James, Tiger Woods, and Steph Curry.
This is an amazing feat for someone who has only just graduated college and has only been a pro athlete for a few months.
But Clark’s power and fan draw are undeniable. The WNBA has been struggling to win over an audience for 30 years. Yet, nearly overnight, Caitlin Clark has put the league on the map and boosted TV viewership and in-arena attendance three-fold.
Caitlin Clark, #22 of the Indiana Fever, looks on during the game against the Atlanta Dream on June 21, 2024, at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. (Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Just last weekend, her appearance in Georgia forced the Atlanta Dream to abandon its tiny 3,500-seat area and to schedule a Dream-Fever game at the local NBA team’s arena because she drew more than 17,000 fans.
Fans have also responded by breaking viewership records for the WNBA on TV, with record-setting audiences on every network that airs WNBA games.
Clark’s star power has also helped bring new fans to several of 2024’s class of rookies, including Nika Mühl, Kate Martin, and Angel Reese.
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