ESPN has announced its coverage plans for Caitlin Clark’s WNBA regular-season debut, set for 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday against the Connecticut Sun.
The network promises a “WNBA Finals-level production setup” for the game, featuring multiple camera angles, including views below and above the rim, roving handheld cameras, and players being mic’d up, according to a network press release.
This matchup is part of a league doubleheader on ESPN2, with the Las Vegas Aces facing the Phoenix Mercury in the later game.
Prior to Clark’s WNBA debut, ESPN plans to air a live edition of “WNBA Countdown,” featuring a 30-minute segment between Clark’s debut and the start of the Aces’ game, as they aim for a third consecutive league title.
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Clark’s second WNBA game will also be part of a national television doubleheader. Instead of ESPN2, the Indiana Fever’s Saturday game against the New York Liberty will air at 1 p.m. on ABC.
ESPN’s extensive coverage of Clark underscores the attention she has drawn to women’s basketball.
During her tenure at Iowa, where she established the NCAA’s overall scoring record, Clark played a pivotal role in all four record-breaking games in terms of viewership over a 13-month period.
Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes witnessed a surge in viewership during their national championship loss to South Carolina, reaching a remarkable 18.7 million viewers. This figure surpassed the viewership of the men’s March Madness final by more than 4 million viewers.
Following Clark’s selection as the No. 1 overall pick by Indiana in last month’s WNBA Draft and a preseason sellout for a road game against the Dallas Wings, the league is banking on her to have a similar impact at the onset of her professional career.
The second half of Saturday’s doubleheader will showcase the Aces once more, this time facing off against the Los Angeles Sparks.
