UFL Blames Caitlin Clark For League’s Poor Attendance Numbers

The United Football League found out the hard way that strong television ratings doesn’t necessarily equate to strong attendance numbers.

While any number of factors could be responsible for the low attendance for the spring football league’s debut season, executive vice president of football operations Daryl Johnston picked a puzzling culprit: Indiana Fever rookie sensation Caitlin Clark.

“I think we were all probably a little bit disappointed, especially in the attendance,” Johnston said, via Fox 4 News. “The TV numbers are fantastic and I think that’s one the things. I think we were insulated with TV because of the merger coming together late.

“…We’re in a very competitive environment when you talk about spring sports — soccer continues to grow in this country, Caitlin Clark is a phenom that kind of swept the spring athletic scene. So, there's a lot of different things out there challenging and competing for eyes.”

Across 43 games from late March until mid-June, the UFL’s average attendance was 13,512 and its total attendance reached 581,016. Both numbers fell short of what the XFL did the previous year — 14,703 and 632,247, respectively — before the merger with the USFL.

Johnston pointed to better time slots, the addition of Friday games and better preparation and planning to avoid conflicts in local markets as reasons for optimism that attendance figures will rise in 2025.

Related: Caitlin Clark Sets Ratings Records for Six Different TV Networks