Caitlin Clark has been making headlines even before her professional debut. The Indiana Fever player is gaining attention for her impressive accomplishments, which are drawing comparisons to MLB icons like Shohei Ohtani.
In a thrilling matchup, the Los Angeles Dodgers clinched their eighth World Series title by defeating the New York Yankees in five games. Game 5 became a record-breaking event, attracting 18.6 million viewers, marking it as the highest-rated MLB game in seven years.
However, the NCAA Championship game, where Iowa’s Caitlin Clark led her team against South Carolina, surpassed those numbers. The championship averaged 18.7 million viewers, peaking at 24 million—outshining the MLB’s biggest event.
Even before turning pro, Clark has garnered attention rarely seen in college sports, highlighting her broad appeal. Despite Ohtani’s historic feat of achieving 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases, Clark’s final college game outperformed the World Series in viewership, reflecting her unique influence and popularity.
Clark’s impact has continued into the WNBA, where she has significantly raised the league’s profile. Last season, numerous broadcasts achieved record-breaking ratings, with five games exceeding 1.6 million viewers.
Her team, the Indiana Fever, was part of 20 out of the 23 games that reached over a million viewers, underscoring her exceptional drawing power in the league. The WNBA Draft also broke records, attracting 2.45 million viewers and setting a new standard for women’s sports viewership.
In her WNBA debut, Clark set another record with 3.44 million viewers, far exceeding the previous high of 1.44 million from 2003. Her swift rise is redefining expectations for women’s sports audiences, indicating a new level of fan engagement. While her earnings may not yet rival those of top athletes like Ohtani, her impact on viewership signals a transformative mome
nt in sports.
