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Sequels are rarely better than the original, except in the case of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
Saturday’s opening weekend game between the Fever and Sky averaged 2.7 million viewers on ABC, which makes it the most-watched WNBA game ever on ESPN platforms. It is also the largest audience for a WNBA regular-season game since 2000.
The Clark vs. Reese matchups were among the most-viewed WNBA regular season games last season, but Indiana’s 93-58 win, which peaked with 3.1 million viewers, topped all four meetings of the Sky and Fever in 2024.
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It appears the rivals, going back to their college days at Iowa and LSU, respectively, will continue to be a ratings cash cow for the WNBA.
Here’s what to know about the viewership for last Saturday’s Fever vs. Sky matchup.
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How many people watched Fever-Sky?
According to Front Office Sports, the Fever vs. Sky matchup on Saturday averaged 2.7 million viewers and peaked at 3.1 million viewers, making it the most-watched WNBA game on ESPN platforms in history.
It was also the second most watched WNBA contest in the last 25 years, trailing only last year’s All-Star game, which totaled 3.4 million viewers.
Fever-Sky averaged 2.7M viewers on ABC, peaking at 3.1M.
It’s the most-watched WNBA game EVER on ESPN platforms—regular season or postseason. pic.twitter.com/Yu9Nop8csW
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) May 20, 2025
Comparing the viewership for Saturday’s contest to other events across the sports landscape, it is just shy of the 2.8 million ABC averaged for NBA Saturday Primetime during the regular season. The first Fever vs. Sky matchup of the year also surpassed every Major League Baseball game so far in 2025.
MORE: Caitlin Clark records triple-double in season opener vs. Sky.
What is the most-watched WNBA game ever?
The most watched WNBA game ever was the league’s inaugural game between the Liberty and Sparks in 1997, which totaled 5.04 million viewers. That game was broadcast on NBC.
WNBA viewership has skyrocketed since the beginning of last season. Prior to Clark and Reese being drafted, no WNBA game had hit the million viewer mark since 2008
MORE: Angel Reese records double-double in season opener vs. Fever
