Caitlin Clark, Fever Set Another Ratings Record in Matchup With Angel Reese and Dream

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever have made setting ratings benchmarks routine.

Aug 16, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles against the Atlanta Dream during the first quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Colin Hubbard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Another week, another ratings benchmark for Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.

Perhaps to no one's surprise, the latest ratings record came in the Fever's win over Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream. That contest went to overtime, so there was no reason for any viewers who tuned in to tune out early, helping lead to a historic number.

The matchup garnered an average of 2.6 million viewers for ESPN, making it the most-watched WNBA game ever on cable, regular season or playoffs. The audience peaked at 4 million viewers.

This past Sunday, ESPN delivered its most-watched @WNBA game EVER!

🏀 @AtlantaDream-@IndianaFever averaged 2.6M viewers, 4M peak
📈 Up 178% vs last year’s ESPN reg. season average
🏀 WNBA on ESPN networks up 16% YoY

More: https://t.co/uXmX1dnE5W pic.twitter.com/yPsJhzgz1B

— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) August 18, 2026

This continues a recent run of Fever games topping the 2 million mark, as their contests against the Minnesota Lynx, Chicago Sky and New York Liberty were all north of that number.

Clark and the Fever have been involved in all of the WNBA's highest-rated games this year, and really nearly all in recent memory. But of course there is always some extra juice whenever Clark and Reese face off as well, with the 2.7 million viewers the Fever's season opener against Reese and her former Sky team drew last year serving as further proof of that.

But that game was on ABC. This number coming on cable makes the tally even more impressive.

Caitlin Clark's Recent Play Will Only Help Ratings

The way Clark is playing of late, expect the ratings to continue to rise. The Fever star was just awarded Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the fourth time this season, after averaging 25.7 points and 9.7 assists per game in a week that contained four straight Fever wins.

Clark is currently first in the league in assists and third in scoring. If that holds, she will become the first player in league history to lead the league in assists while also placing top three in scoring.

She continues to build her MVP case, as Clark has improved from the midrange, is relentlessly attacking the basket as a driver, and has picked up her defense. She is shooting the best she ever has in her young career and is the most efficient isolation scorer in the WNBA, while setting the table for her Fever teammates in an offense that is pacing as the highest scoring in league history.

The further Clark and the Fever can go into the playoffs, the higher the numbers might rise. But there is no doubt more ratings records are forthcoming given Clark's performance and the fact that Indiana is consistently winning.