Television ratings for this season’s WNBA playoffs have taken a significant hit following Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever’s elimination last week. The 22-year-old’s rookie season ended with a second consecutive loss to the Connecticut Sun, knocking the Fever out of the playoffs in the first round.

Despite a record-breaking audience of 2.54 million tuning in to watch Clark’s final game in Connecticut, interest waned once Indiana exited the competition. The first game of the series had also attracted a previous record of 1.84 million viewers on September 22.

However, the first weekend of WNBA playoff games without Clark saw a steep decline in viewership. The semifinal matchup between the New York Liberty and the Las Vegas Aces—two of the league’s most popular teams—drew only 929,000 viewers, according to ESPN (via Fox News), highlighting the impact of Clark’s departure on the league’s audience engagement.

The viewership for the WNBA playoffs has sharply declined, with the first semifinal game between the New York Liberty and the Las Vegas Aces attracting only 929,000 viewers. This figure represents a 50% drop compared to the Fever’s Game 1 against the Sun, which also faced competition from an NFL Sunday.

While the ratings are low compared to the excitement generated by Caitlin Clark, it’s worth noting that this semifinal matchup still drew more viewers than any finals games between the Liberty and Aces last season. Meanwhile, Game 1 of the Minnesota Lynx and Connecticut Sun’s semifinal garnered approximately 650,000 viewers.

Both semifinal games fell significantly short of the viewership numbers achieved during Clark’s regular season games. For instance, the Fever’s clash against the Lynx last month attracted 1.26 million viewers, underscoring the impact of Clark’s presence on audience engagement and the overall excitement surrounding WNBA games.

That game was also played on the same night and at the same time as a Week 1 NFL showdown between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers.

Clark, one of the most successful college athletes of all time, has brought unprecedented levels of attention to women’s basketball since moving up to the WNBA this year.

Caitlin Clark has propelled the Indiana Fever to become the most-watched team in the WNBA, with all 14 of the season’s largest TV audiences involving the Fever. The former Iowa standout was recently crowned WNBA Rookie of the Year after an impressive debut season in the league.

During the season, Clark averaged 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and led the league with 8.4 assists per game. Her remarkable performance helped the Fever secure their first playoff appearance since 2016.

In the season-ending loss to the Connecticut Sun, Clark scored 25 points, while also contributing nine assists and six rebounds. She made history by becoming the first rookie ever to achieve a 25-5-5 game in the postseason, further solidifying her status as a rising star in the league.