Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark previously suffered a back injury during a June 24 game against the Phoenix Mercury. She ended up missing two games for Indiana and did not play for two weeks due to the team's light schedule.
Clark was able to return to action on July 8 against the Los Angeles Sparks, although she was on a minutes restriction during the contest. The All-Star guard played just 16 minutes and finished with nine points, four rebounds, three assists and one steal in the Fever's 106-92 loss.
Making it even more disappointing was the fact that Clark played in short bursts of two to three minutes, preventing her from making a significant impact.
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
While it was an overall disappointing showing from Clark and the Fever, it didn't stop viewers from tuning in to the game. In fact, the viewership numbers for the contest were staggering.
According to USA Sports, the game averaged 1.04 million viewers and became the most-watched WNBA game on record in the network's history.
"Last Wednesday's Fever-Sparks matchup on July 8th averaged 1.04 million viewers, becoming USA Sports' most-watched WNBA game on record and UP 149% vs. 2025's WNBA regular-season average cable viewership," USA Sports wrote in a post on social media.
The viewership was also up by 149% compared to the cable average in 2025. Furthermore, it's the first time in WNBA history that a game with a 10:00 p.m. ET start time has averaged 1 million viewers.
The numbers speak volumes about the immense popularity of Clark and the Fever. The team has been setting viewership records ever since the All-Star guard's arrival in 2024, and it's unlikely the numbers will drop anytime soon considering the massive following they have built over the past couple of years.
