The Indiana Fever star remains out, with no timetable for a return, after suffering a groin injury before the All-Star break

PublishedJuly 29, 2025 4:15 PM EDT•UpdatedJuly 29, 2025 4:15 PM EDT

Thanks to the rivalry between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, stemming from Reese taunting Clark during the 2023 NCAA Women's National Championship, WNBA matchups between the Clark's Indiana Fever and Reese's Chicago Sky drew massive ratings. When the two teams meet on the court, fans turn on their televisions. 

But what happens when neither player suits up for her team? The numbers, predictably, drop. On Sunday, that was the situation the WNBA found itself in. Both Clark and Reese missed the game with injuries. The Fever soundly defeated the Sky, 93-78, the third time Indiana posted a double-digit win over Chicago (two of them coming without Clark). 

The Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky met on Sunday afternoon, with both Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese missing the game due to injury, and the TV ratings suffered without the two biggest stars. 

(Kamil Krzaczynski/Imagn Images)

The WNBA, in preparation for another installment for another Clark vs. Reese rivalry showdown, scheduled the game for 3 p.m. Sunday and ESPN/ABC broadcast the game. The Sky even moved the contest from its usual arena – Wintrust Arena, which seats about 10,000 fans – to the home of the Chicago Bulls – the United Center, which holds 23,500 fans. 

Although the Sky bragged about selling the game out, it was clear that many ticket holders didn't bother to show up, based on reports from inside the arena. 

The same held true for the TV audience, although the game still drew a pretty big number – at least for a WNBA regular season game. Of course, ESPN chose to focus on the positive without pointing out the obvious – Clark sitting out is very bad for business. 

When these two teams met for the season-opening game, the contest drew an average of 2.5 million viewers and peaked at 3.1 million. The network says it was the most-watched WNBA game ever on ESPN. That was despite the matchup not being competitive in the slightest – Clark's Fever demolished Reese's Sky, 93-58. 

Sunday's game also posted a lower number than when the teams met last month, even though Clark didn't play. That contest occurred on a Saturday, aired on CBS and drew an average of 1.9 million viewers. So, numbers have steadily declined without Caitlin Clark, to the surprise of no one. 

To make matters worse, there is currently no timetable for Clark's return from the groin injury she suffered just before the WNBA All-Star Game. 

She's the main driver of WNBA interest and, even without her, the league still continues to draw over one million viewers for big regular-season matchups. That's something that was unheard of for the WNBA prior to Clark's arrival. However, the longer Clark remains out, the more damaging it could become. 

While it's not killing the league right now, particularly because there are very few live sports options in the United States during the summer, football season is right around the corner. It's hard to imagine that the WNBA could keep drawing big TV ratings without Caitlin Clark once the NFL and college football seasons begin.