Caitlin Clark’s Electric Fever Return to Iowa Draws Huge WNBA Preseason Viewership

Caitlin Clark's preseason homecoming game with the Indiana Fever at Iowa's Carver-Hawkeye Arena pulled in big ratings for ESPN.

May 4, 2025; Iowa City, IA, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) shoots a three point basket against the Brazil National Team during the third quarter at Carver-Haweye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The hype around the Indiana Fever’s preseason game against the Brazilian National Team has been hard not to notice if you’re a WNBA fan, especially after Fever guard Caitlin Clark swished that 36-footer from her iconic #22 logo stamped into the Carver-Hawkeye Arena court. 

And now the numbers are in. The Fever’s exhibition matchup against Brazil drew a staggering 1.34 million viewers on ESPN, making it one of the most-watched preseason basketball games across the board, even including the NBA. 

Caitlin Clark’s preseason debut drew 1.3 million viewers

More watched than:
-Any NBA preseason game since 2018
-All but 2 NBA preseason games since 2010
-Game 1 of the 2024 WNBA finals pic.twitter.com/j0U0hpdpxS

— Clark Report (@CClarkReport) May 6, 2025

To put it in perspective, only two of ESPN’s 57 NBA preseason broadcasts since 2010 pulled a higher audience. Both of those, unsurprisingly, featured LeBron James: one in 2017 when his Cleveland Cavaliers faced the Chicago Bulls after a Finals loss, and another in 2018 during his debut preseason with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Of course, massive viewership is nothing new for contests involving Clark, whose record shattering impact on and off the court has been a topic of much discussion.

Prior to Clark's arrival, no WNBA broadcast had exceeded a million viewers since 2008. This preseason exhibition marked the 34th to eclipse that mark since last season, per Sports Media Watch, with the vast majority involving Clark and the Fever.

pic.twitter.com/RI2g5kTirh

— 𝑴𝑽𝑷 𝑺𝒁𝑵 Swag (@socorooopova) May 6, 2025

Clark returning to Carver-Hawkeye Arena, where she became a college basketball legend, added an emotional and nostalgic layer to the moment. But the sheer numbers show this isn’t just an Iowa thing, it’s a national (and international) phenomenon. 

Whether it’s selling out arenas, breaking merch records, or crushing TV ratings, the proof is in the pudding and Clark is changing the game. And if this is what preseason looks like, just imagine what’s coming next.