Caitlin Clark's WNBA Debut Set A New Record For ESPN

NEW YORK (AP) ESPNs broadcast of the Connecticut Suns game against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever had the highest viewership for a WNBA game on the network.

The Suns 92-71 win over the Fever in Clarks WNBA debut on the leagues opening night on Tuesday drew an average of 2.1 million viewers on ESPN2, ESPN+ and Disney+, including a high of 2.3 million viewers between 7:45 p.m. and 7:59 p.m.

That topped ESPNs previous mark of nearly 1.5 million viewers for a Phoenix Mercury-Connecticut Sun game on May 22, 2004, in Diana Taurasis rookie season.

The second game between Phoenix and the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces averaged 464,000 viewers, with the two games averaging 1.28 million a 192% increase over the leagues average last year for broadcasts on ESPN.

Clark set the NCAA all-time scoring record at Iowa last season and she was a big reason why a record 18.9 million viewers tuned in to the national championship game, which her Hawkeyes lost to unbeaten South Carolina.

Clarks arrival to the WNBA has already been a big boost for the league.

The WNBA draft had record viewership, and three teams have already moved their games to bigger arenas to keep up with the demand for tickets to watch her play.