Caitlyn Clark is box office she's doing this and instead of giving her credit y'all tried to make it about oh y'all poo poo in the Old Guard y'all never talk about the Old Guard like this did you catch the WNBA playoffs without Caitlyn Clark chances are you didn't and it seems like not many others did either and they all stayed the core she allowed her teammates to lead her in certain moments and and calm her down in certain moments while still playing the game and being herself out there on the floor while also dealing with
a ton of BS and noise off the court the audience numbers plummeted from 1.8 million to a mere 161,000 that's not just a slight dip it's a dramatic drop Caitlyn Clark can be used as a unit of measurement from here on out when it comes to noise around the game of basketball we will be able to in the future say well this compares to what Caitlyn Clark had to deal with because there was so much noise and she dealt with it and she handled it now we have to wonder is the WNBA facing challenges without
its latest Star I love the point that you made about Caitlyn Clark in terms of the BS that she had to deal with off the court we got to remember she's been box office she was the main attraction and there was so many storylines that's been associated with her most recently the whole thing with her Cheryl swoops even though really wasn't her it was Cheryl swoops and all this every time you turned around there was something that she had to deal with let's take a moment to appreciate Clark she didn't just step into the league
she made a huge impact the reason I bring that up and I love that because as a rookie as a rookie ladies and gentlemen put this in perspective Caitlyn Clark finished the regular season leading rookies in scoring field goals made three-point field goals made assist Steals and minutes played and she led the league an assist and three-point is made think about that for a second in like Shannon says ultimately you first team you one of those people so we got and fourth in the league and VP voting the Indiana Fever A team that was almost
off the radar suddenly became contenders for the playoffs all thanks to her they tried to minimize her say well you giving her all this credit what about the women that came before her what the women came before her what they did cannot be taken away that ain't got nothing to do with Caitlyn Clark but there was a lot of people tried to make sure they keep Caitlyn Clark in her place because what you're doing if you give her all this shine you minimize what they done you can't minimize what my Mo or Candace Parker or
Lisa Leslie or Lauren Jackson or d Diana terasi or Simone Augustus or any of the other great players that Caitlyn Clark what she's doing doesn't minimize what they've done imagine transforming from being overlooked to becoming the key player in such a short time but we should have been given her the credit we saw the ratings we saw the merchandise sales we saw the attendance but y'all want to make it make about something else oh what about the women that laid the foundation what about this what about it that ain't got nothing to do with Caitlyn
Clark however here's the worrying part without Clark the league is struggling with empty Arenas and dismal TV ratings it's as if the thrill has faded and the fans have vanished Caitlyn Clark unanimous rookie of the year but what's even more impressive she's first team WNBA first so the big question remains is the WNBA relying too heavily on just one player and what happens if she's no longer around reflecting back on Caitlin Clark's rookie season I have honestly never seen a company fumble the bag so hard like the WNBA fumbled Caitlyn Clark stay tuned because we're
about to explore why this situation is vital for the future of women's basketball the effect that The Fever are having on the economy in Indianapolis in the WNBA in the World of Sports and frankly it's amazing now you all know the backstory Angel ree in college did all this and all this mocking of course our girl Caitlyn Clark you might be asking yourself those numbers look great but what does it mean for the league let me break it down for you before Caitlyn Clark showed up the Indiana Fever were pretty much forgotten now they're a
team everyone is talking about I think she's spectacular I think she's going to be the biggest box office attraction in women's basketball in short order um you know I know it it sounds like I could be a bit biased I had to pleasure as I've told you on several occasions of doing an interview with her and when I was there with her on stage to do something with her 10,000 people show up Clark didn't just Elevate their game She Made Them serious contenders almost overnight this woman is special she is a marksman she is the
Steph Curry of women's basketball and I understand the Cheryl swoops of the world or anybody else there's a lot of players that have been excellent in women's basketball throughout the best UNESCO is obviously spectacular we various others as well I remember the days of Cheryl swoops and Cynthia Cooper and how big Lisa Leslie and how big time they all were and I'm not taking anything away but when you consider the evolution of the game of women's basketball but it's not just about what happens on the court Clark's impact reaches well beyond the game itself really
intrigued because there's a league with players that feel like they should be getting the attention now they have Center Stage but the ratings are going to go down how far though that's the key we're witnessing record high viewership for WNBA games and who's at the center of it all exactly Caitlyn Clark it's going to be before the argument was the league is much more than this one girl that came into the league and we're we've established it and it hey look at the numbers everywhere else across women's basketball it's not just Caitlyn Clark it's all
of us and then the moment the ratings tank they're going to come back and say see we were right all along it's all the races that follow Caitlyn Clark that were watching the product and now they're gone and we're back with our die hards and that's the ratings that you're seeing actual w w fans Not WBA actual W fans let me get it right that's going to be the argument she's transformed from a player into the symbol of women's basketball but is that going to be a headline when they dip when she's not playing and
now they have to go through the the postseason they're going head to-head with the NFL we pointed that out yesterday which isn't smart think about it when was the last time a WNBA player created this much Buzz numbers are going to be up here to year because Caitlyn Clark wasn't in the WNBA last year so ESPN is going to spend this as a positive that their playoffs will be much higher rated than they were a year ago even the playoffs without Caitlyn Clark yes but because they were so low that really isn't telling you the
whole story Clark isn't just bringing in hardcore basketball fans she's also drawing in people who have never watched a women's game before 28 years the numbers were Stellar Caitlyn Clark drew a whole new fan base into it and now the question is because she has been eliminated she and the Indiana Fever are eliminated after losing two games to the Connecticut Sun what is the rest of the season going to look like ratings wise for the WNBA are people still going to care that is the question on everybody's mind because when you look at the numbers
with Caitlyn Clark there her first playoff game drawing 1.84 million viewers ridiculous numbers the highest rated playoff game since game two of the 2000 WNBA finals this wasn't even just an opening round game back in 2000 this was one of the finals games so this clearly is showing how much of an impact Caitlyn Clark is having she's making the WNBA more relevant than it's ever been however this situation also raises some concerns Clark has become such a major star in no time that it feels like the whole league is leaning on her but obviously it's
always important to give credit where it's do and I think we all realize where the credit needs to be given as far as the success of this WNBA season Caitlyn Clark came in and made such an impact on how many people started to care about the WNBA this was the highest viewed season in the history of the League this leads us to a key question is this Reliance good for the WNBA you know the saying don't put all your eggs in one basket well it seems like the WNBA has had to learn this lesson the
hard way with Caitlyn Clark out of the playoffs the league is facing a reality check and it has everyone wondering if they've missed a golden chance believe me this goes far beyond just losing a standout player let's take a moment to discuss some figures remember those crowded Arenas during Caitlyn Clark's games well that seems to be a thing of the past nowadays playoff games are seeing hardly any fans in the stands can you imagine walking into a place that should be filled with playoff energy only to find it feels more like a ghost town that's
the current reality for the WNBA but it gets even more troubling the WNBA isn't just losing audience members MERS it's also facing substantial Financial challenges and we're not talking about small amounts here the NBA provides $200 million annually to support the WNBA while it generates over $7 billion from its television contracts alone that's a huge gap like comparing a small pond to an enormous ocean now you might be thinking surely they have a strategy to fix this right hold tight because this is where it gets really interesting the wnba's marketing efforts or the lack of
them are leaving a lot of people puzzled believe it or not they haven't produced any ads featuring Caitlyn Clark it's as if they have a treasure but chose to keep it hidden away and it's not just about Clark the League's overall strategy for promoting its players is under heavy scrutiny one analyst bluntly remarked that without Caitlyn Clark the WNBA is nothing but a polished turd ouch that's not just harsh criticism it's a significant wakeup call the league has been riding on Clark's Fame but seems to have overlooked the need for backup plans so what does
this all mean for the future of women's basketball we're not just talking about a disappointing season this could be a turning point for the entire league without Clark in the playoffs the WNBA is losing viewers at an alarming rate and in today's world where attention is a precious commodity that's a serious threat but here's the twist it didn't have to turn out this way the WNBA had a golden opportunity with Clark they could have harnessed her star power to uplift other players and create engaging storylines that would keep fans interested even when she wasn't on
the court instead they put all their eggs in one basket and now they're facing the consequences now you might be asking so what's coming next for the WNBA get ready because the solutions might just catch you off guard we're not just looking for a quick solution we want a complete makeover that could change the game for the league first up is marketing the WNBA has done well by riding the wave of Caitlyn Clark's Fame but it's time to shine the light on other athletes too picture a league where every player has their own compelling story
and dedicated fans we're aiming for rivalries that ignite discussions even when the star players aren't on the court every game should feel like an event you can't miss now let's talk about the athletes the WNBA can't simply sit back and wait for the next big star to come along they need to actively Scout new Talent help them grow and support the next wave of superstars imagine a league where each team has a player that leaves you thinking that was incredible but here's the crucial part none of this will work if the WNBA can't keep its
audience engaged they need to create stories that go beyond just one game or season this means building strong team identities nurturing exciting rivalries and giving fans something to cheer for even when their favorite player isn't at their best plus let's not Overlook the financial side of things the WNBA has to explore new ways to make money they can't just rely on ticket sales and TV deals what about selling merchandise what about teaming up with other brands there's a whole world of possibilities waiting and it's time for the the WNBA to dive in and explore them
let's sum this up we've noticed that the WNBA heavily invested in Caitlyn Clark and now they're facing the consequences empty Arenas declining viewership and a league that's struggling to keep its head above water but it's not over yet the WNBA needs to make some bold moves they should develop more stars Foster exciting rivalries and ensure every game feels special they can't simply wait for the next clerk to emerge it's time to get Innovative with marketing enhance the live experience for fans and explore fresh revenue streams but here's the big question can the WNBA Thrive without
leaning on a single Superstar or is this the start of a tough road ahead for women's professional basketball what are your thoughts share your ideas in the comments we'd love to hear your strategies for revitalizing the WNBA during the first 2 minutes of the first round playoff game of the Connecticut Sun vers the Indiana Fever D Carrington poked Caitlyn Clark in the eye Caitlyn fell to the ground she was holding her face the rest did not call a foul they didn't call a flagrant foul the play continued Caitlyn Clark's WNBA Journey has been nothing short
of eventful but now she's facing a possible suspension D is going up for the ball she misses and then her hand bends down like this and goes straight into Caitlyn's eye can you believe it all because of something as simple as tossing the ball Caitlyn Clark is taking over this league and every passing game that she does something awesome it makes the decision to Leaf her off the Olympic team that much stupider it seems a bit ridiculous doesn't it despite breaking records and showing off her amazing skills on the court it feels like the league
is more focused on calling technical fouls on her than recognizing her Talent NBA I'm talking players coaches and refs they're all a bunch of Caitlyn Clark haters they're all a bunch of jealous haters yep they are just working themselves up about kitlin Clark just to hate on her Skyler Diggins is bumping her the their girls are complaining on the bench referees are getting into it now they're all a bunch of haters the referees seem eager to blow their whistles for any reason djon she's a spice Carrington poking Caitlyn Clark in the eye regardless if you
believe the eye poke was intentional or not what happened to journalists and media well standing by their stories and of course their opinions furthermore can we stop trying to cancel people because we disagree with their opinions whether she's celebrating a great play showing frustration or just playing her game it's frustrating to see such a key player in the sport treated like she's constantly at risk of fing out all of this conversation around Indiana Fever fans it's all just misguided overh hatred of Caitlyn Clark the WNBA really needs to rethink how they're handling this situation and
pointing a finger at those guys they're the racist when really y'all are the racist it just doesn't seem fair over an Indiana the fever are grabbing headlines with their record-breaking performances largely thanks to Caitlyn Clark it's been almost a decade since the fever last made it to the playoffs which is no small achievement considering only the top teams get there each year and now in her rookie season Clark has already secured a playoff spot for them now that's impressive the the people coming up with excuses to hate Caitlyn Clark and the new fan base that
she brought and and justifying again as we talked about yesterday Nike won't even put out a Caitlyn Clark commercial won't put out a Caitlyn Clark shoe because Nike has decided that they must bow to the Angry Black feminist the black lives matter movement the feminist movement overall the the the whole uh in uh the whole identity politics movement but just as everyone's gearing up for the playoffs there's trouble Brewing Caitlyn Clark is teetering on the edge of a suspension yes Caitlyn Clark is the biggest star in sports but Nike in order to promote equity and
fairness and diversity and inclusion you must spend all of your money promoting Asia Wilson someone most people don't know exist and don't care about here's the deal despite an incredible rookie season packed with record-breaking moments she's facing a potential suspension due to the WNBA strict rules is it even possible to cancel anyone anymore if a player racks up seven technical fouls in a season they have to sit out the next game and guess what Caitlyn sitting at six that means she's just one Tech away from missing a game Carrington has spent the past several months
mocking and smearing Clark the Los Angeles Times provided the that context with the following headline Caitlyn Clark suffers black eye was caused by player who mocked and called her out well that seems pretty easy that seems very easy but of course the normal suspects take issue with this because the normal suspects I don't know why we ever give Sarah Spain any at all but we do on this show and with the playoffs so close the timing couldn't be worse fans are on edge feeling like it's a nail-biting season finale Caitlyn Clark got you watching the
league because it wasn't just her you wanted to see who eventually she was going to end up going against you saw other folks trying to get at her and trying to get at her team and you saw fans and all of this other stuff going on which we will get into right she has you transfixed on the entire league that's why I brought up Michael Jordan the issue isn't just the rule itself it's how Caitlyn Clark has been treated by the refs all season when you with Caitlyn Clark you find yourself watching the league as
well we're talking about a rookie who's led her team set records and brought a lot of excitement to the league basketball has really consumed my life for a year so I feel like it'll be good for me to kind of reflect back on everything that's happened like I feel like I didn't even have time to really reflect on my college career cuz it ended so fast and then I came here and was trying to give everything I could to to this team and it it was special it was there was a lot of things that
this group accomplished that you know a lot of people probably didn't think was possible yet she keeps getting hit with penalties for small things the seven technical foul rule is supposed to keep things under control but it feels like Clark is being punished for simply showing passion on the court as the most impactful women's basketball player we've seen in a generation and it took a combination of things both on and off the court off the court attendance viewership on the court breaking the single season uh scoring record or the all-time scoring record in college but
now you see her in the WNBA and you can say the exact same thing most impactful that we've seen in women's basketball for those same two reasons Arenas were upgraded viewership through the roofs but then when it comes to the basketball what she was able to do was truly impressive she averaged 19 and8 for some context I won rookie of the year I think I averaged 12 let the girl celebrate what's really frustrating is that most of her technicals aren't from bad behavior deserving harsh punishment they're mostly just reactions like celebrating a big play or
questioning a call and honestly who hasn't wanted to argue with a ref after a bad call the operative word that comes to my mind is gratitude there's an incredible level of gratitude that should be accorded to this young lady with what she did for the sport that's not to take anything away from anybody else but I often AR when I've argued with folks about this you think NBA players shouldn't be thankful to Magic Johnson
