Caitlin Clark makes $72m impact on Indiana Fever to beat Angel Reese and every NFL team in key department

The Caitlin Clark effect is yet to simmer down.  The WNBA star has taken the Indiana Fever to new heights, and in the process beat out rival Angel Reese and every NFL, NBA, and MLB team in one key department. Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark have taken the WNBA to heightsGetty The WNBA enjoyed a record-breaking year with regular-season attendance up by 48 percent and viewership on ESPN up by 170 percent. Much of this success is undoubtedly due to the 2024 rookie class with No.1 overall pick Clark spearheading the interest. 31 WNBA matches last season averaged over one million viewers and 22 of them involved Clark, with almost every fixture she played in being broadcast on national television. The 22-year-old’s own team, the Indiana Fever, saw their attendance rise by 320 percent to a league-leading average of 17,000 per game.  Such unprecedented success paved the way for a new $78 million training center in downtown Indianapolis. The facility will open in two years and features two full-size courts, and strength and conditioning facilities along with podcast and content production studios. New media spaces might be the result of record-breaking social engagement figures the Fever enjoyed in 2024. According to a report released by Indiana themselves, the team topped the WNBA in social media engagement, video views, followers gained and total followers. This led to the team securing the most sponsors in the league.  However, it’s not just the WNBA the Fever are beating teams in. Between April 15 and July 19, they beat every NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB in team-produced video consumption, with over 800 million views. Another new report was also released, this time for the entirety of 2024, with brand analytics firm Zoomph ranking every sports team in North America by their total social value and growth. Clark enjoyed a stellar rookie season Caitlin Clark has become a global superstarGetty Clark’s Fever topped every other major American team in social media growth in 2024X@Zoomph Four WNBA teams packed out the top five in terms of growth, with Fever top of the list ahead of Angel Reese’s Chicago Sky, Minnesota Lynx, and the Los Angeles Sparks. The Indiana Fever’s total social value has been listed at $71.9 million with a total social growth of 635 percent compared to 2023. Teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Commanders naturally have a higher overall value, but no team across the NFL, MLB or NBA is enjoying the level of growth WNBA teams are. However, the Fever do have a total higher value than the Minnesota Timberwolves and Washington Commanders, which puts into perspective just how popular the team currently is. The WNBA will be looking to extend their record-breaking growth into 2025 when the league returns on May 16, a day which sees a blockbuster clash tip off the new season. Reese and Clark will face off in the first game after playing each other a staggering five times last season, demonstrating the high demand the two players draw.

Jan 22, 2025 - 12:53
 0
Caitlin Clark makes $72m impact on Indiana Fever to beat Angel Reese and every NFL team in key department

The Caitlin Clark effect is yet to simmer down. 

The WNBA star has taken the Indiana Fever to new heights, and in the process beat out rival Angel Reese and every NFL, NBA, and MLB team in one key department.

Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark have taken the WNBA to heights
Getty

The WNBA enjoyed a record-breaking year with regular-season attendance up by 48 percent and viewership on ESPN up by 170 percent.

Much of this success is undoubtedly due to the 2024 rookie class with No.1 overall pick Clark spearheading the interest.

31 WNBA matches last season averaged over one million viewers and 22 of them involved Clark, with almost every fixture she played in being broadcast on national television.

The 22-year-old’s own team, the Indiana Fever, saw their attendance rise by 320 percent to a league-leading average of 17,000 per game. 

Such unprecedented success paved the way for a new $78 million training center in downtown Indianapolis.

The facility will open in two years and features two full-size courts, and strength and conditioning facilities along with podcast and content production studios.

New media spaces might be the result of record-breaking social engagement figures the Fever enjoyed in 2024.

According to a report released by Indiana themselves, the team topped the WNBA in social media engagement, video views, followers gained and total followers. This led to the team securing the most sponsors in the league. 

However, it’s not just the WNBA the Fever are beating teams in.

Between April 15 and July 19, they beat every NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB in team-produced video consumption, with over 800 million views.

Another new report was also released, this time for the entirety of 2024, with brand analytics firm Zoomph ranking every sports team in North America by their total social value and growth.

Clark enjoyed a stellar rookie season
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JANUARY 18: Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift (L) talks with Caitlin Clark (R) of the Indiana Fever during the second half in the AFC Divisional Playoff between the Houston Texans and the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 18, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Caitlin Clark has become a global superstar
Getty
Clark’s Fever topped every other major American team in social media growth in 2024
X@Zoomph

Four WNBA teams packed out the top five in terms of growth, with Fever top of the list ahead of Angel Reese’s Chicago Sky, Minnesota Lynx, and the Los Angeles Sparks.

The Indiana Fever’s total social value has been listed at $71.9 million with a total social growth of 635 percent compared to 2023.

Teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Commanders naturally have a higher overall value, but no team across the NFL, MLB or NBA is enjoying the level of growth WNBA teams are.

However, the Fever do have a total higher value than the Minnesota Timberwolves and Washington Commanders, which puts into perspective just how popular the team currently is.

The WNBA will be looking to extend their record-breaking growth into 2025 when the league returns on May 16, a day which sees a blockbuster clash tip off the new season.

Reese and Clark will face off in the first game after playing each other a staggering five times last season, demonstrating the high demand the two players draw.

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