Liberty coach embraces WNBA viewership milestone powered by Caitlin Clark's return: 'I love it'

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NEW YORK – The New York Liberty lost their first game of the season against the Indiana Fever Saturday, but in the grand scheme of it all, head coach Sandy Brondello knows the value of those matchups goes beyond wins and losses.   

The Fever handed the defending WNBA champions their first loss of the season behind Caitlin Clark’s stellar performance. 

The reigning Rookie of the Year dropped a season-high 32 points and made seven 3-pointers in the 102-88 victory, while Sabrina Ionescu scored a season-high 34 points for the Liberty. 

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) high-fives fans after scoring a 3-pointer Saturday, June 14, 2025, during a game against the New York Liberty at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Grace Smith/IndyStar/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

ESPN released the TV ratings for the anticipated matchup, which was the third most-watched WNBA game ever on ABC with an average of 2.2 million viewers. 

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The game peaked at 2.8 million viewers, a 76% increase from last season’s regular-season average on the network.

Speaking to reporters ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Atlanta Dream, Brondello was asked about the viewership milestone. While admitting it was a game she wished the Liberty closed out, Brondello acknowledged the importance of reaching a larger audience. 

"I love it. That’s what we’ve been trying to aim for since the league started a long, long time ago," she said. "It certainly was a good show, and Caitlin put on a great performance there."

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