The arrival of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese has brought immense success to the WNBA in all aspects. The Draft on April 15 became the most-watched event with 2.4 million viewers, a 307% increase from 2023. The recent All-Star game attracted 3.44 million viewers, peaking at 4.1 million, a 305% increase from last year, making it the best in the league’s history.
The most-watched non-All-Star games this season have been the matchups between Clark’s Indiana Fever and Reese’s Chicago Sky, each surpassing 2 million viewers. This surge in viewership is also reflected in merchandise sales. According to the “Sports Business Journal” and data from Fanatics, the official retail partner of the league, merchandise sales have increased by over 500% since the start of the regular season on May 14 compared to last year. Player-specific merch sales have seen a 1,000% increase, with Clark and Reese leading the way.
Top-Selling Jerseys in the WNBA
The top five selling jerseys are Caitlin Clark (Fever), Angel Reese (Sky), Sabrina Ionescu (Liberty), Kate Martin and A’ja Wilson from Aces. Among the 12 teams, the top five in merchandise sales are Fever, Sky, Liberty, Aces, and Storm. The high sales for Liberty, Aces, and Storm are expected due to their strong performances, while the surge for Sky and Fever is driven by their star players.
A Historic Season Unfolds
This historic season has seen 17 WNBA games top 1 million viewers, with Caitlin Clark playing in 15 of them, showcasing her impact. This achievement is significant as the league had not reached the million-viewers mark in the past 16 years.
The league will resume on August 15 after the Paris Olympics, with exciting events still to come. The MVP race is currently led by A’ja Wilson, the Rookie of the Year award likely going to Clark over Reese, and the playoff potential for the star rookies’ teams—all of which are expected to generate more views and revenue for the WNBA.
