ABC enjoyed a fruitful weekend for viewership figures of Indiana Fever against Chicago Sky despite key stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese both missing.
On Sunday the two franchises faced off in the United Center, with the Fever coming away with a 93-78 victory over the Sky.
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ABC had history-making viewing figures for Indiana Fever’s regular season clash with Chicago Sky on SundayCredit: Getty
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That was despite the absence of star names Angel Reese and Caitlin ClarkCredit: Getty
Both teams were missing key players in the form of Clark and Reese through injury, but that did not stop viewers from tuning in for the match.
According to ESPN PR, the regular-season game had an average viewing audience of 1.5 million, with 1.7m at its peak.
And while the presence of the two star players could have brought even more viewers to the screens, it was still a significant night in terms of the figures.
The July 27 showdown was the 6th most-watched regular season game on ABC ever.
Meanwhile, it was their 4th most-watched regular season game of this season so far.
The figures also represent a 17 per cent rise in average viewership compared to the average WNBA viewing figures for ABC last season.
Additionally, ESPN report a six per cent rise compared to last season across all their platforms when it comes to WNBA viewership.
Clark and Reese have undoubtedly been a huge part of the increase in interest in the women’s game since their rookie seasons.
Prior to their arrival in 2024, the WNBA had gone well over ten years without reaching a seven-figure audience.
The Fever in particular, have benefited from Clark’s presence, with many games drawing over one million viewers with or without the guard, who was the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft.
Caitlin Clark’s WNBA All-Star Status in Doubt After Reaggravating Groin Injury
Clark, 23, has struggled with injuries this season.
She has now missed five consecutive games after being unable to compete against the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday.
This run also includes the WNBA All-Star game.
Clark admitted the injuries have started to take their toll on her mental health.
Fortunately, a recent update from team medics confirmed there were no additional problems identified.
But they did not give a timeline on when she could return.
Although a new report from ESPN suggested her return may not be until mid-August after she went to see a specialist about her recurring issues.
The Fever are now embarking on a four-game road trip and it is unclear whether she will return to action during any of these games.
Meanwhile, Reese returned to action for Sky against the Washington Mystics on Tuesday.
But the 23-year-old’s return was unable to stop the team from sliding to a sixth straight defeat, as the Mystics’ Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen became the first rookie duo in team history to score 20 or more points in the same game.
How the WNBA works
THE 2024 WNBA season features 12 teams with the regular-season running from May 14 to September 9.
Each team plays 40 regular-season games – four against five teams from the same conference and two teams from the other conference, and three games against the remaining four teams.
The top eight teams in the league standings qualify for the playoffs – regardless of what conference they’re in.
The playoffs will use a best-of-three format in the first round while the semifinals and WNBA Finals are best of five.
This season also includes a month-long break for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The Las Vegas Aces are defending back-to-back WNBA champions.