NEWS; Caitlin Clark effect is real as WNBA legend Sue Bird’s comments speak volumes

 

AwWomen’s National Basketball Association (WBNA) legend Sue Bird has been left awestruck by the increase in viewers since Caitlin Clark’s emergence in the sport. Bird, a basketball legend herself, offered her stunned reactions to the whopping 964,000 viewers who tuned in to watch Game 1 of the semi-finals between the New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces.

 

With nearly one million people watching at home, the event became the most-watched WNBA semifinal game in 22 years. These viewing figures came despite Clark and her Indiana Fever side being eliminated in the first round.

Clark, 22, boasts more than 3m followers on Instagram, which is reflected in her side’s matches. When Indiana faced Connecticut Sun, more than 2.5m viewers tuned in to watch. While Bird is staggered by the figures, she also accepts there is a major fluctuation in the numbers depending on whether Clark is playing or not.

Speaking on her ‘A Touch More’ podcast, Bird said: “Viewership numbers with Caitlin Clark are astronomical. She brings in all the things. We know this, we’ve said this. Yes, the games that she’s not playing have lower viewership.” Despite the fluctuation, Bird does not think there is anything to panic about.

 

She added: “The WNBA playoffs, where Caitlin’s obviously not in it because her team lost are still breaking records from previous WNBA years. These numbers are still really high and still really meaningful. Yet, some people continue to flip that… Nobody ever said Caitlin wasn’t gonna be a marketing gem, a unicorn.”