- Indiana Fever. Indiana Fever Coach Shares Encouraging Injury Updates on Key Players
- Indiana Fever. Indiana Fever in Full-Blown Panic: Caitlin Clark's injury forces emergency roster moves
Caitlin Clark's injury was a devastating blow to the WNBA. Initial reports suggested that in the Indiana Fever star's absence, viewership and attendance had plummeted. However, recent numbers paint a more nuanced picture.
With Clark sidelined, Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston, and DeWanna Bonner have stepped up, but their efforts haven't been enough to keep the Fever afloat. The team has struggled to a 2-4 record, revealing the impact of losing their star forward.
The Fever's on-court struggles have translated to diminished fan engagement. Some reports claimed viewership had collapsed since Clark's May 24 injury against the New York Liberty-but a closer look at the data tells a different story.
The numbers in perspective
It's true that the Fever's first game without Clark, a May 28 matchup against the Washington Mystics, saw a 39% decline in viewership, drawing 357,000 viewers compared to the 581,000 who tuned in for their May 20 game against the Atlanta Dream-both aired on NBA TV.
However, numbers can be deceiving. While the Mystics game saw a sharp drop compared to the Dream matchup, it also marked a 100% increase over the same period a year ago, making it NBA TV's tenth most-watched WNBA game ever.
Even more promising: two days later, the Fever's showdown with the Connecticut Sun drew 851,000 viewers, becoming the most-watched WNBA game on the ION Network. The data suggests that momentum remains strong, with or without Clark.
When will Clark return?
While the league is surviving without its biggest star, the Fever haven't been as lucky. After starting the season 2-1, they've lost their last three games without Clark, sinking to 0-3 in her absence.
Clark's recovery timeline remains uncertain, but specialists indicate that quadriceps injuries typically require a few weeks of healing. Head coach Stephanie White hopes to have her back for the Fever's June 10 rematch against the Dream.
If Clark returns in peak form-and the team applies the lessons learned in her absence-the rest of the WNBA better be ready.