In possibly the most crucial season in the league’s history, the WNBA surpassed all of its previous seasons in terms of ratings and notoriety. This was expected due to women’s basketball becoming more appreciated in the last few years. This shift has begun in college basketball because of the likes of superstars such as Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers, which The Forum addressed in an article last year titled “Starpower Fuels the Rise of Women’s Basketball.”
Reese and Clark, the key figures in that change, both left college for the WNBA this year, and it was expected that they would bring their star power and marketability with them, but the duo surpassed all expectations. Before Clark was even drafted, the ticket prices for the Indiana Fever—who were projected to take Clark in the draft—rose by $80 dollars. The so-called “Caitlin Clark Effect” was present all over the league. On average, the ticket prices on ticket resale app Vivid Seats increased by 129 percent. This was a record-setting season for viewership as well, as it was the most-viewed regular season ever on ESPN, averaging 1.19 million viewers, a tremendous 170 percent increase from last season. There were 109 more sold out games compared to last year. The Caitlin Clark effect was also visible in the attendance at games as they increased on average by 48 percent.
In their rookie seasons, Clark and Reese lived up to all of the hype they received prior to being drafted. Clark, who has long been anointed as the savior of women’s basketball, won Rookie of the Year and led her team, the Indiana Fever, who had the worst record in the league the last two seasons, to the playoffs. On her way to this achievement, Clark broke a myriad of records: first rookie to record a triple double, second most three pointers made in a season, most assists recorded in a season, 4th in MVP voting, and she became the first player to ever record 19 points, eight assists, and five rebounds in a season.
Not to be outdone, Reese set the record for most rebounds and offensive rebounds in a season at 405 in only her 32nd game of the season. She also set the record for most double doubles in a row at 15. While Clark struggled in the early season, Reese seemed to ease into the professional game much more smoothly. Unfortunately she suffered a season-ending wrist injury, just two games after she set the rebounding record. Prior to Reese’s injury, these two were embroiled in one of the most legendary Rookie of the Year races ever. While Clark and Reese were the progenitors for the increase of the league’s ratings, the reason the audience stayed was because of the high level of play from the other players of the league.
For example, A’ja Wilson, considered by many to be the best player in the world, just finished the best season ever. She broke both the record for most points ever scored in a season, being the first person to ever score 1,000 points, and also broke Reese’s record for most rebounds ever in a season, grabbing 451 rebounds. She won her third MVP, becoming only the fourth player to ever do that, joining Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoops, and Lauren Jackson. She left in the middle of the season to join team USA where she won a gold medal and was also named the Olympics MVP. When she returned, she led the Aces to the fourth best record in the league, and although she probably expected to win her third straight championship, they lost to the New York Liberty in the semi finals.
The WNBA playoffs started on Sep. 22. The New York Liberty had the best record in the Eastern Conference and the Minnesota Lynx had the best in the Western Conference. Clark and the Fever lost in the first round to the Connecticut Sun, behind a stellar performance from Alyssa Thomas. The Sun went on to lose to the Lynx in the second round, and after defeating Wilson and the Aces in the second round, the Liberty met the Lynx in the WNBA Finals. This meant that the two highest overall seeds in the league met in a star studded finals, which was a worthwhile conclusion to such a great season. The Lynx best player Naphesa Thomas almost single-handedly pushed the Liberty to the brink of defeat. But an incredible last second buzzer beater by Sabrina Ionescu in game 3, and a great performance by Jonquel Jones was ultimately the difference in the series, crowning the New York Liberty as the 2024 WNBA champion.
