When Caitlin Clark stepped onto the golf course Wednesday at the ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge pro-am, Golf Channel adjusted its entire programming schedule to showcase her rounds with Nelly Korda and Annika Sörenstam. This scheduling change wasn’t just about golf. It was the latest evidence of how women’s sports are riding an unprecedented wave of mainstream interest.

That wave took shape during the WNBA’s record-breaking 2024 season, which shattered viewership records across all platforms, with the WNBA Finals averaging 1.6 million viewers – up 115% from 2023. The story behind these numbers reveals deeper shifts in how audiences consume women’s sports and why this growth appears sustainable. The full season averaged 1.2 million viewers across all ESPN platforms, making it the most-watched season in WNBA history. The 2024 season proved definitively that audiences will watch women’s sports when given proper exposure and marketing support, creating a blueprint that other leagues, including the LPGA, are now following.

The Caitlin Clark Effect

Rookie Caitlin Clark transformed WNBA viewership patterns from her first game. ESPN networks set multiple viewing records as Indiana Fever games, featuring Clark, dominated the ratings. The Fever’s June matchup against Chicago, and fellow rookie Angel Reese, peaked at 2.3 million viewers, leading a season where 18 games broke previous network records. Games featuring Clark and the Fever claimed the top three spots in ABC’s WNBA broadcast history, each drawing over 1.7 million viewers. Notably, viewers stayed tuned in longer than ever before, watching an average of 73 minutes during Finals broadcasts – the highest engagement in league history.

Recent studies can also help to explain why increased exposure leads to sustained viewership growth. A previous study found that regular visibility of women’s sports correlates with increased viewer interest and engagement. Additionally, when women’s sports receive prime broadcast slots and marketing comparable to men’s leagues, audience growth follows. The 2024 season put this to the test, and when ESPN placed WNBA games in premium time slots, the results included the most-watched All-Star Game in league history, drawing 3.4 million viewers. Research also suggests that this “superstar effect” carries implications beyond one single sport. Instead, high-profile women athletes may have the ability to drive cultural shifts in perception of women’s sports, particularly among younger age groups.

More Than Basketball

Caitlin Clark’s star power crossed over to golf at The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican Pro-Am on Wednesday. Importantly, the network showed its commitment to showcasing Clark’s appeal by expanding Golf Channel’s coverage, starting Golf Today 90 minutes earlier than usual to capture her rounds with World No. 1 Nelly Korda and tournament host and 10-time LPGA champ, Annika Sörenstam. The network’s investment wasn’t based solely on short-term ratings projections but rather appears to stem from a broader strategy to grow women’s sports viewership. This crossover moment demonstrates how a rising star in one women’s sport can help elevate visibility across the entire women’s sports landscape. It’s a pattern that builds on Clark’s proven ability to draw mainstream audiences.

As a result, both the WNBA’s and Clark’s success carry implications for other women’s sports leagues. While the LPGA may have benefitted momentarily from Clark’s appearance, the growth in all of women’s sport appears likely to extend well beyond 2024, assuming there is a sustained combination of strategic broadcast placement, enhanced digital content, and growing corporate investments. The data suggests that the success experienced in 2024 wasn’t simply about one player or season, but rather represents a convergence of factors creating sustainable growth conditions for women’s professional sports. The WNBA, and the entire women’s sports ecosystem, appear to be positioned for a continued expansion of its fanbase, media footprint, and revenue streams.