Liberty Coach Celebrates WNBA Viewership Milestone Fueled by Caitlin Clark’s Return: ‘I Love It’

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Although the New York Liberty suffered their first loss of the season against the Indiana Fever this past Saturday, head coach Sandy Brondello emphasized that the significance of the matchup extends well beyond the final score.

The Indiana Fever handed the defending WNBA champions a 102-88 defeat, powered by Caitlin Clark’s spectacular performance. Clark, last season’s Rookie of the Year, dropped a season-high 32 points, including seven 3-pointers, while Sabrina Ionescu led the Liberty with 34 points.

The game quickly became a landmark event for the league as ESPN revealed that it averaged 2.2 million viewers on ABC, making it the third most-watched WNBA game in the network’s history. The broadcast peaked at 2.8 million viewers, representing a staggering 76% increase over last season’s average regular-season viewership on ABC.

Ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Atlanta Dream, Coach Brondello spoke with reporters about the viewership milestone. While she admitted that she wished the Liberty had closed out the game with a win, she acknowledged the broader significance of attracting a larger audience.

“I love it. That’s what we’ve been trying to aim for since the league started a long, long time ago,” Brondello said. “It certainly was a good show, and Caitlin put on a great performance there.”

This surge in ratings follows a broader upward trend for the WNBA, which experienced its most-watched regular season in 24 years and highest attendance in 22 years last season. Much of this renewed interest has been credited to Caitlin Clark’s electrifying debut. She shattered league records for most assists in a season (337) and most assists in a single game (19). Additionally, Clark became the first rookie in WNBA history to record two triple-doubles and set single-season rookie records for points and 3-pointers made.

The league’s rapid growth has brought its ratings numbers closer to those of other major North American sports leagues. For perspective, The Athletic recently reported that the Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers averaged between 2.3 and 2.6 million U.S. viewers in the first four games — a 25% drop from last season.

“The more people can get eyes on our game, they’ll fall in love with it because this is the best place in the world,” Brondello added.

As the WNBA continues to capitalize on its rising popularity, fueled in large part by rising stars like Caitlin Clark, the league is positioning itself for even greater success in the seasons ahead.