The REAL Reason WNBA Ratings TANK Without Caitlin Clark

Before the start of her latest video, Rachel Dita of the Courtside Club posed three questions to fans: When did you start watching the WNBA? What got you interested in the league? And if you could only watch one team for the rest of the season, which would it be? These questions reflect the growing interest in the WNBA, but also set the stage for a concerning reality: TV ratings for the league have dropped by more than 50% since star Caitlin Clark was sidelined with injury.

The Caitlin Clark Effect and the Drop in Viewership

Recent data shows that not only have Indiana Fever games seen a sharp decline in viewership, but the entire WNBA has been affected since Clark’s injury. A tweet from journalist Christine Brennan highlighted this phenomenon: “One player gets injured and more than half the TV audience for the entire league disappears. Has any other athlete ever had that kind of impact on a sport?” The comparison to Tiger Woods underscores Clark’s extraordinary influence.

Rachel Dita points out that this is an alarming sign for the WNBA, especially as the league heads into crucial collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations at the end of the season. The outcome of these talks could mean higher salaries for players, but falling viewership is a significant disadvantage.

The Reasons: Not Just the Injury

Beyond Clark’s absence, Rachel analyzes that many new fans—especially Clark’s supporters—have stopped watching not just because of her injury, but also due to how the league and media have treated them. Ongoing controversies and criticism aimed at Clark’s fanbase have been widespread on social media and in the press, making these new fans feel unwelcome.

Rachel also notes that the WNBA needs to improve its marketing of star players, referee quality, and the overall on-court product. “Most fans are here because they enjoy Caitlin Clark’s style of basketball and the way the Indiana Fever play—not for any other reason,” she emphasizes.

You Can’t Force Fans to Watch What They Don’t Like

Rachel draws a parallel with the NBA, where even though the Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder featured high-quality basketball, ratings were still lower than expected. This demonstrates that you can’t force fans to watch games or players they don’t like.

She expresses regret that the WNBA and the media failed to make the most of the influx of new fans, instead creating distance and driving them away.

Injury Update

Currently, both Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham are back in practice but remain uncertain for the upcoming game against the New York Liberty. If both return, the Fever will have to cut backup player Ary McDonald. However, their availability for this weekend’s game is still in doubt.

Conclusion

Rachel Dita argues that relying too heavily on a single star is not a sustainable model for the WNBA, and hopes the league will learn how to better welcome and retain new fans. “If the league and the media had handled things better, maybe this season’s viewership wouldn’t have dropped so much,” she concludes.