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5 months ago
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Caitlin Clark's impact continues to be felt around the WNBA as the No. 1 overall pick's effect on the numbers continues to skyrocket.
After a headline-grabbing opening month upon Clark's entry, the W announced on Monday that over 400,000 fans attended games in May. Last month's attendance is the largest in 26 years, which is impressive considering the league is in its 28th season.
Additionally, the league's viewership has increased greatly since Clark's arrival.
Across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and CBS, WNBA games are averaging 1.32 million viewers - which is nearly triple last season's standard of 462,200 viewers.
Indiana's May 14 game against the Connecticut Sun, May 18 game against the New York Liberty, and May 20 game against the Sun all set viewership records as the most-watched WNBA games on their respective networks.
Caitlin Clark's rookie year helped the WNBA's numbers grow in the first month of the season
The opening game between Indiana and Connecticut on May 14 averaged 2.12m viewers
The opening night game between Indiana and Connecticut on May 14 averaged 2.12m viewers on ESPN 2, May 18 averaged 1.71m on ABC, and May 20 averaged 1.56m on ESPN.
The strong rookie class that entered the WNBA Draft in April has also contributed to the overall growth, as three newcomers are in the top five jersey sales.
Merchandise sales are up 236 percent over last season, with Clark, Angel Reese, and Cameron Brink all ranking in the top five.
During the first two weeks of the season, WNBA League Pass subscriptions tripled and reached the highest average minutes watched in history. The number of Subscriptions from May 2023 went up by 335 percent last month.
Lastly, arenas were filled to an average of 94 percent capacity - a 17 percent increase from last season.
The WNBA announced on Monday that over 400,000 fans attended games in May
Clark and fellow rookies Angel Reese and Cameron Brink are in the top five for jersey sales
Arenas were filled to an average of 94 percent capacity around the league in the first month
In a press release, WNBA chief growth officer Colie Edison said that the recent growth is the materialization of their belief in the league.
'What's happening now in women's basketball is confirmation of what we've always known: The demand is there, and women's sports is a valuable investment,' Elison said.
'We're encouraged by growing engagement across all our verticals, especially as we welcome new and diverse audiences into our fandom,' Elison added. 'The WNBA continues to experience sustained growth as our league embraces this heightened momentum.'
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