The sequel is rarely better than the original, except in the case of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
Saturday's opening weekend game between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky on ABC peaked at 3.1 million viewers, making it the most-watched WNBA game ever on ESPN platforms. It was also the largest audience for a WNBA regular-season game since 2000.
The Clark vs. Reese matchups were among the most-viewed WNBA regular season games last season, but Indiana’s 93-58 win this weekend topped all four meetings of the Fever and Sky in 2024.
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It appears the rivals, going back to their college days at Iowa and LSU, respectively, will continue to be a ratings cash cow for the WNBA.
Here's what to know about the viewership for last Saturday's Fever vs. Sky matchup.
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How many people watched Fever-Sky?
According to Front Office Sports, the Fever vs. Sky matchup on Saturday averaged 2.7 million viewers and peaked at 3.1 million viewers, making it the most-watched WNBA game on ESPN platforms in history.
It was the second most watched WNBA contest in the last 25 years, trailing only last year's All-Star Game (3.4 million) and Game 5 of the 2024 WNBA Finals between the Liberty and Lynx (3.25 million).
Fever-Sky averaged 2.7M viewers on ABC, peaking at 3.1M.
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) May 20, 2025
It's the most-watched WNBA game EVER on ESPN platforms—regular season or postseason. pic.twitter.com/Yu9Nop8csW
Comparing the viewership for Saturday's contest to other events across the sports landscape, it was just shy of the 2.8 million viewers ABC averaged for NBA Saturday Primetime during the regular season. The first Fever vs. Sky meeting of the year also surpassed every MLB game so far in 2025.
MORE: Caitlin Clark records triple-double in season opener vs. Sky.
What is the most-watched WNBA game ever?
The most watched WNBA game ever was the league's inaugural game between the Liberty and Sparks in 1997, which totaled 5.04 million viewers. That game was broadcast on NBC.
WNBA viewership has skyrocketed since the beginning of last season. Prior to Clark and Reese being drafted, no WNBA game had hit the million viewer mark since 2008.
MORE: Angel Reese records double-double in season opener vs. Fever