Caitlin Clark Buzz Leads to Fever Getting 36 National TV Games on 2024 WNBA Schedule

The WNBA is banking heavily on fans following Caitlin Clark to the next level.

The Indiana Fever, who are presumably taking Clark with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, are set to play 36 of their 40 games on national television next season.

Clark's career at Iowa has led to national attention for women's basketball unlike anything the sport has ever seen. Iowa's national championship loss to South Carolina was watched by an average of 18.7 million viewers, making it by far the most-watched game on record.

An ESPN press release said the game was the second most-watched non-Olympic women's event in history, trailing only the 2015 Women's World Cup final.

Clark had 30 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the Hawkeyes' 87-75 loss to South Carolina. She concluded her career with 3,951 points, besting the previous women's record by more than 400 points.

The Fever have not qualified for the playoffs since 2016. They've finished with single-digit wins in five of the last seven seasons, though they did improve to 13-27 last year. Some WNBA players are already champing at the bit to get their hands on Clark and show her things won't be as easy at the pro level.

"Reality is coming," legend Diana Taurasi said on ESPN. "You look superhuman playing against some 18-year-olds, but you're going to come play with some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time."

With plenty of national games in the coming months, Taurasi and other skeptics will have a chance to take on Clark with the world watching.