Author of Caitlin Clark Book Has Words For ESPN After ‘Misleading’ Post originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Sports journalist and author Christine Brennan is pushing back against ESPN’s recent claim that the 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend had “historic” viewership.
Brennan, who wrote “On Her Game: Caitlin Clark” and the “Revolution in Women’s Sports,” took to social media to correct what she called a “misleading” statement.
Brennan responded directly to ESPN’s post on X, which celebrated the weekend’s TV numbers. The network boasted that the Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest drew an average of 1.3 million viewers, calling it “historic.”
But Brennan pointed out that the main event — the All-Star Game — did not reach last year’s record-breaking viewership.
Why does ESPN PR continue to mislead its followers? The 2025 All-Star Game viewership was not historic. It was a huge drop from last year.
In 2024, 3.44 million watched when Caitlin Clark played in the game. This year, with Clark injured, viewership plummeted to 2.2 million. https://t.co/V1QtzEokrS
— Christine Brennan (@cbrennansports) July 22, 2025
“Why does ESPN PR continue to mislead its followers?” Brennan wrote. “The 2025 All-Star Game viewership was not historic. It was a huge drop from last year. In 2024, 3.44 million watched when Caitlin Clark played in the game. This year, with Clark injured, viewership plummeted to 2.2 million.”
The drop was significant. Last year’s game, which featured Clark in her first All-Star appearance, shattered WNBA records. This year’s game, though still the most-watched program in its time slot, saw a steep decline in numbers.
Clark, who has missed multiple games this season due to injury, was forced to sit out of the 2025 All-Star Game with a groin strain. Though she attended the event courtside and even assisted in coaching, her absence on the court clearly impacted fan interest.
The WNBA had high hopes for the weekend in Indianapolis, Clark’s home court. She was originally set to compete in the 3-point contest and serve as team captain. But her injury changed those plans just days before tip-off.
While ESPN highlighted the 1.3 million average viewers for the skills contests as a major win — citing a 100% increase over the previous year — critics like Brennan argue that those numbers don’t tell the full story.
Clark’s pro career has been closely followed since her record-shattering college days at Iowa. She continues to draw massive attention, whether playing or not, and is a central figure in discussions around WNBA growth and visibility.
As the season moves forward, Clark remains a major driver of audience interest — and those covering the sport are watching the numbers closely.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 23, 2025, where it first appeared.
