Author of Caitlin Clark biography blasts ESPN over viewership spin

Sportswriter Christine Brennan is calling out ESPN for what she describes as a misleading take on the 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend ratings.

ESPN slammed for “misleading” WNBA All-Star ratings claim

Brennan, known for her book On Her Game: Caitlin Clark, took to social media after ESPN posted celebratory numbers around the event’s television audience. The network claimed the Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest drew a “historic” average of 1.3 million viewers.

But Brennan quickly fired back, noting the bigger picture tells a different story.

She pointed out that the All-Star Game itself, the main event, drew just 2.2 million viewers, a sharp drop from the 3.44 million who tuned in last year when the Indiana Fever star played.

“Why does ESPN PR continue to mislead its followers?” Brennan posted on X. “The 2025 All-Star Game viewership was not historic. It was a huge drop from last year.”

Last summer’s All-Star Game shattered league records thanks to Clark’s debut appearance. This year, Clark’s injury kept her off the court, and that absence clearly had an impact.

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Clark was slated to play in the game, captain a team, and compete in the 3-point shootout. But after suffering a groin strain, she withdrew just days before the event. She still showed up courtside and even helped coach, but fans didn’t see her in action.

The league had hoped for a big weekend, especially with the game held in Indianapolis, where Clark plays professionally. While ESPN touted the skills competitions as a success, critics like Brennan argue the full weekend’s numbers don’t match the hype.

Whether on the floor or not, she moves the needle, and the latest All-Star ratings seem to prove just that.

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