"They don’t need Caitlin Clark at all": Fans react as WNBA shatters viewership records in season where Fever star sat out most games

Caitlin Clark is arguably the WNBA's biggest superstar right now. The Indiana Fever guard has often been credited for the meteoric rise of the league's popularity.

However, this season was a bit disappointing for Clark fans as the Fever guard played only 13 games. Due to injury concerns, Clark announced that she won't be returning this season. The Fever guard's longtime absence led to speculations about a fall in ratings and viewership for the league. Instead, this season has seen a historic rise in viewership despite Clark's absence.

On Monday, Richard Deitsch from The Athletic reported that ESPN labeled the 2025 regular season as the most-watched WNBA season in history.

A basketball social media outlet shared Deitsch's report to the community through an X post, and the fans flooded the comments section with their opinions.

"They don’t need Caitlin Clark at all," one fan said.

"B-but I thought people were going to stop watching once Clark got hurt?" another fan said.

"So, is it not all about Caitlin Clark?" another fan said.

One fan highlighted the importance of good media contracts in the league's increased exposure.

"when you have media contracts that play the games on ever bar and restaurant screen you get a 30% inflation in ratings... GO FIGURE," the fan commented.

"But I thought no cc means no views," another fan said.

"They finally realizing good hoops clears drama. I might have to tune in someday," another fan said.

Caitlin Clark has been dealing with a groin injury for the majority of the season. Despite her absence, the Fever secured a playoff berth.

Caitlin Clark makes heartfelt announcement on her indefinite absence

On Sept. 5, Caitlin Clark shared monochrome pictures of herself on her Instagram account. She accompanied the post with a disappointing announcement for the fans eagerly waiting for her return.

"I had hoped to share a better update, but I will not be returning to play this season," she said. "I spent hours in the gym every day with the singular goal of getting back out there, disappointed isn’t a big enough word to describe how I am feeling. I want to thank everyone who had my back through all the uncertainty.

"This has been incredibly frustrating, but even in the bad, there is good. The way the fans continued to show up for me, and for the Fever, brought me so much joy and important perspective. I am so proud of how this team has only gotten stronger through adversity this year. Now it’s time to close out the season and claim our spot in the Playoffs🖤"

The Fever guard averaged 16.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game this season. She would have been a great asset for Indiana in the playoffs, given that they suffered an 80-68 loss against the Atlanta Dream in Game 1 of the first-round series on Sunday.

About the author

Avi Shravan's first year of college was the year he discovered his passion for basketball and the NBA. He has been an ardent fan of the sport ever since, from waking up early to cover games to watching pundit discussions, he does it all.

Avi is a big fan of Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks and Anthony Edwards from the Minnesota Timberwolves and firmly believes that the young star is the next big thing in the NBA.

Avi graduated in Mass Communication and Journalism, further enhancing his skills as a journalist and a writer. In his spare time when he is not writing, you can find him playing video games, watching anime, or reading a book he randomly picked at a bookstore.

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Edited by Krutik Jain