Caitlin Clark Drives Record Viewership For 2024 WNBA Draft

The 2024 WNBA draft reached unprecedented heights in viewership on ESPN this Monday night, attracting an average of 2.45 million viewers and peaking at 3.09 million, according to an ESPN press release.

This surge in viewers marks a substantial increase over the previous year, where viewership was only 572,000. It surpasses the former record of 601,000 set in 2004 when Diana Taurasi was drafted first overall by UConn.

Caitlin Clark, a standout player from Iowa, is largely credited for the dramatic rise in viewership numbers.

Clark’s impact on women’s basketball has drawn a significant new audience, evidenced by the viewership of this year’s NCAA women’s championship game featuring Iowa versus South Carolina, which attracted a record-setting 18.7 million viewers on ESPN.

Selected first overall by the Indiana Fever, Clark’s presence is expected to significantly elevate the team’s profile this season. The Fever is set to have unprecedented exposure, with 36 of their 40 games being broadcasted or streamed nationally.

This year’s WNBA draft viewership was the most-watched since a 2000 broadcast on NBC, which drew 2.74 million viewers for a game between the New York Liberty and the now-defunct Houston Comets, showcasing the growing popularity and influence of women’s basketball driven by emerging talents like Clark.