WNBA Caitlin Clark popularity is a double-edged sword
That’s Amaury News and Commentary
By Amaury Pi-González
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) is regarded as the face of the WNBA and has taken some heat for it. (AP file photo)
For 30 years, since its founding in 1996, the WNBA operated in obscurity, with very low television ratings and financial struggles. Then, in 2024, something happened that completely changed the league for the better. The Indiana Fever #1 pick was Caitlin Clark.
Clark has become the league’s most famous player and has also become the most controversial; she is white, and the WNBA is no more than 15% white.
Although many good players increased the league’s popularity before Caitlin Clark arrived, she was the catalyst that pushed the WNBA over the top, greatly increasing attendance and television ratings and boosting overall revenue that benefits players.
Caitlin Clark and her number 22 jersey for the Indiana Fever are the most popular and best-selling in the WNBA. Her #22 is the best seller ever in the women’s league, similar to what Michael Jordan’s #23 did with the Chicago Bulls in the NBA. Nearly the entire WNBA is jealous of Caitlin Clark and trying to destroy her, said Ben Daniel Podcast TV.
The average WNBA player salary is about $583,800 to $600,000, thanks to the historic 2026 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Before Caitlin Clark arrived, the average salary was $100,000 or less, as many players held second jobs. While $100,000 is a “comfortable” living in places like Indiana, it is not in New York, California, or other parts of the country.
The WNBA has a significantly larger LGBTQ+ fan base than most other professional sports leagues. The league has embraced this demographic and made it part of its identity.
Highly rated ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith frequently called Caitlin Clark a “cash cow” and audience driver for the WNBA.
So why is Caitlin Clark a double-edged sword? Obviously, she has done great for women’s basketball and for the once-struggling league, but at the same time, there is jealousy among players, as well as racism and other ugly stuff that surfaces in the territory brought by great financial success. The money into the WNBA has been good, but along with it brought other stuff, I would say its like “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”.
Another Women’s Professional Sports League coming soon to San Francisco.
Looks like San Francisco is on a roll when it comes to women’s sports. The San Francisco Signal is a new professional women’s indoor volleyball team, debuting in January 2027. The San Francisco Signal will play its home matches at the historic Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in downtown San Francisco.
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.
