Historic WNBA Draft Had 3-Times More Viewers Than Of Half The 4 Major American Professional Sports
The 2024 WNBA Draft was a historic one, as it pulled in three times more viewers than the MLB Draft and NHL Draft.
According to the official data, the 2024 WNBA Draft on ESPN on Monday, April 15 — featuring college basketball stars such as Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink, Angel Reese, and more — was watched by 2.5 million people, also making it the most-watched draft in the history of the WNBA.
For comparison, while the NFL Draft was king with 6 million viewers last year, the NBA Draft was watched by 3.74 million people, the MLB Draft was watched by 744,000 people, and the NHL Draft was watched by 681,000 people.
Draft viewership in the past year:
NFL: 6 million
NBA: 3.74 million
MLB: 744,000
NHL: 681,000 pic.twitter.com/pZxYpJ5F2e
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) April 16, 2024
What that ultimately speaks to is the star power of this crop of WNBA prospects, Clark in particular. Within hours of her being drafted by the Indiana Fever, for example, her #22 sold out completely.
What the WNBA and women’s basketball at large will be hoping for, of course, is that the excitement not only translates to the league, but sustains itself. During Clark’s upcoming rookie season, it’s likely most of the arenas the Fever play in will be packed with record crowds. But what about next year?
There is, however, still the possibility Clark’s talent is such that she will be a true revolutionary (even more than she is now) in the sport of women’s basketball, similar to the likes of, as one tweet put it, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Serena Williams.
Very few athletes can fundamentally change a sport — Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, etc.
Caitlin Clark may be one of them.
(Chart via @LevAkabas) pic.twitter.com/AcjjESv6Ke
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) April 16, 2024
In addition to Clark being selected #1 overall by the Indiana Fever, fellow stars Cameron Brink and Angel Reese were selected #2 and #7 overall by the Los Angeles Sparks and Chicago Sky, respectively.
The 2024 WNBA season begins on the weekend of May 14, with Clark making her debut on Saturday and Brink and Reese making their debuts on Sunday.
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Eric Italiano, Khareem Sudlow
