As the 2024 WNBA season kicked off its 28th season on May 14, it quickly became clear that this would be a landmark year. There has seen an explosive growth in fan engagement, highlighted by record attendance numbers and viewership statistics that demonstrate the league’s unprecedented momentum. There’s no doubt that rookie Caitlin Clark has had a significant impact on attendance, engagement, viewership and general interest in the WNBA.
Throughout May, WNBA games drew the highest attendance for an opening month in 26 years, with nearly 400,000 fans attending games. Remarkably, over half of the games were sellouts—a 156% increase from the previous year—resulting in WNBA arenas being filled to 94% capacity, up 17% from last season.
And Clark just doesn’t impact the game inside the lines. Whomever is hosting the Indiana Fever will draw a sellout crowd and ticket prices will be 400% of their normal prices. Not only that, but the gambling industry has benefited from the Caitlin Clark phenomenon, bets and wagers at your local live casino and online gambling websites have also seen record increases.
The WNBA Teams With Highest Attendance in 2024
Among the most popular WNBA teams in terms of attendance and fan engagement, the Indiana Fever stand out due to the buzz around rookie sensation Caitlin Clark. Clark, along with other exciting young stars like Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky and Cameron Brink of the Los Angeles Sparks, has driven fan interest to new heights.
While the league has played over 30 games, the latest attendance data we have is for the first third of the season and the Indiana Fever having the highest average attendance. Here’s the 12 WNBA franchises ranked with the highest average attendance.
| # | Team | Average | GMS | TOTAL | Highest Gm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana Fever | 16,956 | 13 | 220,426 | 17,274 |
| 2 | New York Liberty | 12,585 | 16 | 201,357 | 17,758 |
| 3 | Los Angeles Sparks | 11,400 | 14 | 159,594 | 19,103 |
| 4 | Las Vegas Aces | 11,004 | 16 | 176,059 | 20,366 |
| 5 | Phoenix Mercury | 10,712 | 14 | 149,962 | 17,071 |
| 6 | Seattle Storm | 10,599 | 15 | 158,991 | 18,343 |
| 7 | Minnesota Lynx | 9,453 | 17 | 160,693 | 19,023 |
| 8 | Chicago Sky | 8,763 | 14 | 122,686 | 9,872 |
| 9 | Connecticut Sun | 8,498 | 15 | 127,472 | 19,125 |
| 10 | Washington Mystics | 6,221 | 15 | 93,319 | 20,333 |
| 11 | Dallas Wings | 6,057 | 13 | 78,736 | 6,251 |
| 12 | Atlanta Dream | 5,109 | 16 | 81,742 | 17,608 |
At the halfway point of the season, Fanatics released data on the teams and players with the most jersey sales which can be used as a proxy for the WNBA team with the most fans. The Indiana Fever topped both lists. In terms of viewership, the Fever have been at the center of several record-breaking broadcasts, with their matchups against the Connecticut Sun and New York Liberty attracting over 2 million viewers.
Caitlin Clark’s impact on the WNBA’s popularity and attendance has been remarkable, as seen during her games, which have consistently broken attendance records. In her first visit to Atlanta — the WNBA franchise with the lowest average attendance — Clark helped set a new attendance record for a WNBA game at Gateway Center Arena.
This was also apparent during the 2024 WNBA All-Star voting where votes increased exponentially. While this isn’t a 1:1 comparison, the fact that there was an 800% increase in all-star votes over 2023 can be used as a strong indicator in interest.
This surge in interest is also reflected in digital engagement, with WNBA app users up by 613% and League Pass subscriptions tripling compared to last season. As the W’s Chief Growth Officer Colie Edison stated, “What’s happening now in women’s basketball is confirmation of what we’ve always known: The demand is there, and women’s sports is a valuable investment.”
With Caitlin Clark’s popularity as well as a diverse and growing audience, the WNBA is continuing its path toward mainstream popularity, driven by both new stars and a more inclusive fan base.
