As the Indiana Fever marked their most successful moment in a decade, a new ESPN-related controversy has surfaced. Reports show that ratings for Game 1 of the Fever’s first-round series against the Atlanta Dream plunged nearly 47% in Caitlin Clark’s absence, while Game 2 viewership also lagged behind the Aces-Storm matchup. However, in the latest episode of Rachel DeMita’s Courtside Club podcast, she shed some more light on the controversy surrounding this drop in viewership.

DeMita quoted a viewership statistic from Indiana Fever reporter Chloe Peterson that showed a completely different picture. “Chloe Peterson said that game two of the Fever vs Dream on Tuesday averaged 1.5 million viewers on ESPN. And it’s the second most-watched first-round game two ever. And I’m assuming the most-watched first-round game two ever was last year, when it was Caitlin and Fever’s last game versus the Sun that they lost.”

While some discrepancies surround this year’s viewership numbers, last year’s matchup between the Indiana Fever and Connecticut Sun left little doubt about the team’s drawing power. Game 2 of the series reportedly averaged 2.62 million viewers, confirming Rachel DeMita’s suspicion that it was the highest-ever audience for a Fever game. Although Chloe Peterson cited a different figure than ESPN, some fans questioned her sources, a point that DeMita addressed and clarified on her podcast.

DeMita said, “And then somebody replied, they’re like ‘What is the source?’ Because we’re seeing other things that are saying that the Fever didn’t draw in 1.5 million viewers. And Chlow said, ‘I got the numbers from ESPN PR directly. They shared with me and a few others. Fever-Dream averaged 1.5 million, peaking at 1.7 million, and Aces-Storm averaged 1.1 million, with a peak of 1.3 million.”

If ESPN PR’s numbers given to Chloe Peterson are accurate, it adds yet another layer to the network’s controversial treatment of the Indiana Fever. The scrutiny isn’t new. A couple of days ago, all nine of ESPN’s expert analysts picked the Atlanta Dream over the Fever, with eight predicting a sweep. Yet the Fever defied expectations, eliminating the Dream, and many players, including Caitlin Clark, reposted the story to send a pointed message. For Fever and Clark fans, moments like these reinforce the long-standing sense of “it’s us against the world.”

The relationship between the Indiana Fever, Caitlin Clark, and ESPN has always been complicated beyond one season. From referencing 2023 instead of 2024 when comparing viewership for the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, to framing Clark in a “villain” narrative, ESPN’s coverage often sparks debate. Somehow, coverage of one of the league’s most beloved players consistently leads to controversy and skepticism.

And now, as the Indiana Fever prepare to face off with the Las Vegas Aces, these experts have once again made their predictions that will further fuel the team’s belief in the ‘us against the world’ narrative.

ESPN analysts continue to write off the Indiana Fever as they prepare to face the Aces

As if all the controversies weren’t enough already, ESPN’s analysts have again made a prediction that is set to further anger the Indiana Fever fans. With the Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces set to face off in the semifinals, a panel of 8 ESPN reporters has once again sided against the Indiana Fever and has predicted the Las Vegas Aces to win the series. However, unlike the last series, they did put some respect on the Indiana Fever.

Unlike the series against the Atlanta Dream, where 8 out of 9 analysts had predicted the Indiana Fever to be swept, this time around, all of them are at least predicting a win in the series (four of them are even predicting the series to go the full distance). As things stand, the Indiana Fever are indeed the underdogs for the semifinals. For the game one of the series, ESPN analytics are giving the Fever a 36.3% chance of winning game one.

If you recall, similar dynamics played out when the Fever faced the Dream. True, the Las Vegas Aces are a stronger team and have been red-hot lately, winning 18 of their last 19 games. Yet, as we’ve seen throughout the season, the Indiana Fever are never a team to be underestimated. With Stephanie White at the helm and Kelsey Mitchell performing in MVP form, the Fever have consistently shown that no challenge is unbeatable.