The WNBA lacked that X-factor. In 2024, the league still featured many of the same players from past seasons. So, what changed now? It wasn’t just the faces; it was the fire. And a major part of this was rivalries and storylines. Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese has emerged as one of the best clashes in all of sports. Along with that, these two also carved their own path and emerged as leaders in different aspects of the sport.
The reason why that rivalry is better than many others is that everyone has a strong opinion about Clark while having an equally sharp opinion about Reese. But now the WNBA has its version of Larry Bird vs. Magic Johnson, adding that spice to the league that it previously lacked. Now, with another star entering the league in Paige Bueckers, she is arguably even better suited to rival Clark in the long run.
That was evidenced when the two faced for the first time at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The game drew 2.1 million average viewers on ABC, becoming the network’s 4th-most-watched WNBA game ever, including the playoffs. Coincidentally, the other 3 most-watched games have come this year itself.
The Fever vs. Chicago Sky clash on opening weekend was pure box office, pulling in 2.7 million average viewers and peaking at 3.1 million. The hype was sky-high heading into the season, and the drama delivered, especially with that heated foul on Caitlin Clark, the rising rivalry, and a headline-grabbing triple-double that lit up the league. The next best also involves Clark, obviously.
This past Sunday, ABC aired another of its most-watched #WNBA games EVER with the @IndianaFever‘s win over the @DallasWings
2.1M avg. viewers (2.5M peak)
WNBA on ESPN up 7% from last season pic.twitter.com/GvkGHzStTt
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) July 15, 2025
After being out with an injury, Clark was coming back against the then-unbeaten New York Liberty. It was a storyline you could write a manga about as Clark lit up the court, scoring 32 points, 21 of which came on seven three-pointers, three of which came in a 25-second time span. As a result, it drew 2.2 million viewers on ABC. Their previous game early in the season also drew a similar viewing, and that was a nail-biter, which fell on the side of Liberty. This record could have been broken earlier as Clark missed the first Fever-Wings matchup with her injury, but it still drew 1.14 million viewers on Ion.
Despite not surpassing the Fever-Sky game, this rivalry is just getting started, and these two are more matched than Reese and Clark. That rivalry is mostly fueled by drama, and it does get more views than a sporting rivalry. But it can also disappear by next year or gradually die down as time goes on. On the other hand, Bueckers and Clark share the same positions and are two sides of the same coin. Their contrasting styles make up for a more interesting debate, and it has the potential to surpass the Clark-Reese rivalry, but for now, that remains the talking point.
The youth movement is yet to finish
You would think no one can surpass Caitlin Clark in terms of popularity and stardom. But we thought the same about other players in other leagues, and yet, each generation brings even better and more famous players. Currently, the WNBA is largely seen as a 10-12 league at best. The topmost athletes only get all the brand collaborations and sponsorships, while many others have to rely on international leagues for supplementary money. But the latest generation is changing that fast.
Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen are the only rookie duo to be All-Stars since 1999, when the league had its first All-Star Game. Paige Bueckers is graceful on the pitch but possesses the social consciousness to become the next powerful voice in the WNBA. Along with that, you have the 2023 No.1 pick, Aliyah Boston, making waves and investing in teams. With that, even current college players are also showing promise, as Juju Watkins took away 17.9% of the votes in The Athletics poll to be the face of the league in the next five years, right after Clark, who had 53.8% of the votes.
“It’s a special time,” said Seattle Storm forward Alysha Clark, who is in the twilight of her career at the age of 38 and the oldest player in the league. “We’re just in a wave that happens in sports. When I first got into the league, there wasn’t much room for rookies because the teams were so veteran, and with the way that the schedule was and how the league was shaped, there wasn’t a lot of space to develop players. The talent is always going to keep evolving, but now there’s space.”
And ironically, this youth wave is driving the ratings and bringing in attention to a lot of veteran stars, too. With the CBA negotiations likely concluding next year, a new broadcast deal in place, and rising talent entering the league, the WNBA is set to shine even brighter—further continuing its upward trajectory.
The post Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers’ First-Ever League Matchup Becomes ABC’s Top 5 Most-Watched WNBA Games Ever appeared first on EssentiallySports.