The much-discussed Caitlin Clark Effect took one final bow in 2024.

Wednesday night’s Game 2 of the first round of the playoffs between the Fever and Sun drew 2.5 million viewers, ESPN announced, noting that it is the most-watched WNBA game ever to air exclusively on cable.

It’s the latest data point in games where Clark is drawing statistically significantly more viewers than previously thought possible in women’s basketball.

Sunday’s Game 1, broadcast on ABC and Sunday afternoon against the NFL, a time slot that is a death zone not only for sports but for all other TV programming, drew 1.8 million viewers.

During the regular season, games featuring Clark and the Fever nearly tripled the TV viewership of other WNBA games, to an average of 1.178 million viewers, up from 394,000, according to Fox executive Michael Mulvihill.

By comparison, last year’s WNBA final between the Aces and Liberty averaged 728,000 viewers.

Nevertheless, Clark’s WNBA viewership still has an uphill climb to where she peaked in college.

Earlier this year, the college women’s national championship game, pitting Clark’s Iowa team against the undefeated South Carolina squad coached by Dawn Staley, drew 18.7 million viewers.

Now that he has played two full seasons in a row, Clark can finally get some rest.

When asked what she plans to do with this newfound free time after the sun’s fever is eliminated, Clark said, “I don’t know what I’m going to do tomorrow, I don’t know what I’m going to do.” the next day. Maybe play a little golf. I’m going to do that until it gets too cold in Indiana. So I have that. I’m going to be a professional golfer.”

The LPGA responded succinctly: “Count us in.”