Caitlin Clark's 2025 preseason debut nets 1.6M viewers, more than the average regular-season WNBA game
It doesn't matter when she plays, people just want to watch Caitlin Clark. The Indiana Fever phenom drew significant ratings during the team's WNBA preseason game against the Brazilian National Team on Sunday.
The contest drew 1.6 million peak viewers. That figure was 13 percent higher than the average regular-season WNBA game that aired on ESPN last season.
WNBA Countdown saw an even larger increase in its audience before the contest. The program drew 571,000 viewers, up 71 percent compared to last year's average.
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Clark didn't disappoint during the contest, which saw her return to Carver-Hawkeye Arena for the first time since she left Iowa. Clark dropped 16 points in the 108-44 victory, many of which came from way beyond the arc.
The game marked Clark's 2025 WNBA preseason debut. She sat out during the Fever's first preseason contest due to a leg injury.
While Clark proved to be healthy during the team's game vs. the Brazilian National Team, she also got plenty of time to rest her leg. With the Fever up big, Clark and a number of the team's starters sat out the fourth quarter.
All told, it was quite the return for Clark, and a great way for her to make her 2025 preseason debut. It was also a reminder of how much fans want to watch Clark dominate the competition.
It didn't matter that it was a preseason game, or that the Fever weren't playing another WNBA team. If Clark is involved, people will pay attention.
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Fever waives guard ahead of Caitlin Clark's return
The post Fever waives guard ahead of Caitlin Clark's return appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Indiana Fever announced that Caitlin Clark is returning to the lineup for Saturday's contest against the New York Liberty. With the star guard finally back in action, the team was forced to release a player from the roster to make room for Clark. Advertisement Guard Aari McDonald is being released by the Fever. Indiana explains that the decision was made to meet the WNBA's 10-player roster minimum and the league's emergency hardship exception requirements. McDonald played three games for the Fever during Caitlin Clark's absence. She played rather well in that three-game stretch, averaging 11.0 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game. The 26-year-old guard also shot a 42.9% field goal percentage and was 37.5% from beyond the arc. Indiana is the third team McDonald has played for so far in her five years in the WNBA. She began her career playing three full seasons with the Atlanta Dream before playing for the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2024 campaign. After showing off her skills for three games with the Fever, she could find a new opportunity with a different team at some point this season. Advertisement Caitlin Clark returns after missing five games. She sustained a quad strain in her left leg during the Fever's 90-88 loss to the Liberty on May 24. Clark played that entire contest and initially informed head coach Stephanie White that something was off about her left quad. In the four games Clark has played, the 23-year-old guard has averaged 19.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 9.3 assists per game. She's also averaged 1.3 steals per game while shooting 40.3% from the floor and 31.4% from deep. Those are numbers the Fever will be glad to have back for the remainder of the season. You can catch Caitlin Clark's return to the court on Saturday when the Fever take on the Liberty at 3 p.m. EST. Clark's first game back from injury will be in front of the home crowd. Related: Fever's Caitlin Clark keeps it real on her injury absence Related: Fever's Caitlin Clark set to return vs. Liberty
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The post Fever's Caitlin Clark keeps it real on her injury absence appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Indiana Fever are set to take on the New York Liberty on Saturday. It's the first game since May 24 where the team will have Caitlin Clark return from injury. The star guard opened up about what it's been like nursing the injury with media members on Friday. Advertisement After the Fever's practice, the 23-year-old guard admitted she's still shaking off some of the rust upon her return, according to Chloe Peterson of Indy Star Sports. The practices leading up to her return have done just that. 'Yeah, I'm really excited. It's definitely been a process. I think the hardest part is when you, like, begin to feel really good, then it's just a process of working yourself back into actually getting up and down, and getting out there with my teammates. Obviously, it can be a little difficult at the same time, when they're prepping for their games, and I know I'm not going to be available.' The Fever have gone 2-3 in the five games without Caitlin Clark. She's bouncing back from a left quad strain that's kept her out for several weeks. Indiana will be glad to have the 2024 Rookie of the Year back in the lineup, as before the injury, she was averaging 19.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 9.3 assists per game while shooting 40.3% from the field and 31.4% from the three-point line. Advertisement To bring Caitlin Clark back to the roster, the Fever were forced to release guard Aari McDonald from the roster. She was a nice fill-in for Indiana. But with Clark returning for Saturday's contest, the club felt it was best to cut the 26-year-old guard. It'll be interesting to see how Clark performs in her first game back. Ironically enough, the last team Clark played against was the Liberty. She finished that contest with 18 points, five rebounds, and 10 assists. Related: Fever waives guard ahead of Caitlin Clark's return Related: Fever's Caitlin Clark set to return vs. Liberty
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Caitlin Clark returns with 32 points and Fever hand Liberty first loss with 102-88 victory
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