‘Caitlin Clark Effect’ — WNBA World Reacts as Fever Receive Record-Breaking 44 National TV Games

Fever set a historic national TV record, sparking massive WNBA reactions as fans point to the growing “Caitlin Clark effect.”

Indiana Fever fans are counting down the hours to the team’s first preseason clash of 2026. It is a highly anticipated game against the New York Liberty on April 25.

The buzz around that game already is great. But even before the tip-off, the WNBA has dropped a piece of news that has sent shockwaves through the basketball community.

The WNBA’s Latest Announcement Regarding the Indiana Fever

The WNBA recently released its full national broadcast schedule for the 2026 season. In a historic first, Indiana will have all 44 of their regular-season games aired on national television.

Not only is this the highest number of nationally televised games in franchise history, but it also sets a new benchmark for any single team in WNBA history. Moreover, the Fever are the only team in the league to achieve full national broadcast coverage this season.

Unsurprisingly, the announcement sparked a frenzy across the basketball world.

What is the Reaction of the WNBA World?

Ever since Clark entered the WNBA in 2024 as the first overall pick, she has been at the center of a great shift in the league’s popularity. Ticket prices surged, and arenas that had previously struggled to sell out were suddenly turning people away.

In Clark’s rookie year alone, the WNBA saw 22 regular-season games surpass one million viewers. The phrase “Caitlin Clark Effect” has become a widely used shorthand for this cultural moment.

“Caitlin Clark effect,” wrote Barstool Sports’ founder Dave Portnoy.

Fever games this season will be spread across different broadcast partners. There will be four games on ABC, six on ESPN, two on NBC, three on Peacock, seven on ION, eight on Prime Video, four on CBS, nine on USA Network, and one on NBA TV.

One Clark fan jokingly suggested that this might lead to a massive drop in League Pass subscriptions. That highlighted just how widely available Fever games will be this season.

“That sound you just heard was a thousand Fever fans cancelling their League Pass all at once,” wrote the content creator.

One WNBA content creator highlighted comments from Commissioner Cathy Engelbert herself, whose words about the league’s recent trajectory now carry even more weight given this latest announcement.

One Indiana Fever content creator captured the moment perfectly with humor by dropping a classic Donald Glover GIF to celebrate the announcement.

“All 44 games, baby!” wrote the content creator by the name of Ken Swift.

With every game set to be broadcast nationwide and the spotlight brighter than ever, all eyes will be on Indiana, and at the center of it all stands Clark.

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