Fever vs. Dream breaks WNBA record amid Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Sophie Cunningham buzz

Indiana Fever’s 95-91 OT win over the Atlanta Dream set a new WNBA viewership record amid an unprecedented spotlight on the WNBA.

The WNBA entered its current boom period after Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese joined the WNBA in 2024, hot on the heels of a fierce NCAA rivalry where Clark’s Iowa lost the national title to Reese’s LSU.

Every clash between Clark and Reese is must-watch, and that was the case on the August 16 Fever vs. Dream clash, which was an epic game that also featured the highly polarising Sophie Cunningham.

With another Clark vs. Reese battle coupled with the mainstream attention that Cunningham has received for her views on trans athletes in the WNBA, this Fever vs. Dream game averaged 2.6 million viewers and became the most-watched WNBA game ever on cable.

“ESPN delivered the most-watched WNBA game ever on cable as the Atlanta Dream-Indiana Fever matchup averaged 2.6 million viewers on Sunday, August 16. The telecast ranks as the most-watched WNBA regular-season or postseason game ever on cable… The game peaked at 4 million viewers from 7:15-7:29 p.m. ET.”

While the big names in action brought the fans in, the back-and-forth between the teams that were one game apart in the standings at the time kept the fans hooked.

Clark ended the game with 26 points and nine assists while Reese had 15 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists. Reese also missed a potential game-winner that allowed the game to go to OT, where the Fever pulled away.

Cunningham played 32 minutes in the clash but ended the night with three points and seven rebounds, as a net positive on the team with a +8 plus/minus.

Interest in the WNBA is at an all-time high for its tremendous on-court product, but also for the political attention it has received in the last month.

Clark has always been a magnet for attention, but Cunningham’s rise to mainstream fame in the last month has further boosted the already massive profile of the Indiana Fever.

With the playoffs inching closer, a deep Fever run could set even more viewership records after the bar was set by this clash against the Dream.

This could even be a playoff matchup, which will likely break the viewership record again if all the key stars are healthy.

Read more:

• Caitlin Clark named her one big issue with the Tempo after her first-ever WNBA game in Canada
• Sophie Cunningham gets honest about her role on the Fever after getting booed in fifth-straight win
• Toronto Tempo reveal new non-binary mascot with Sophie Cunningham, Indiana Fever in attendance