Caitlin Clark Absence Causing Tiger Woods-like Effect In WNBA

WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark has had a transcendent impact on the league as well as women's sport in general.

Caitlin Clark Absence Causing Tiger Woods-like Effect In WNBA

Caitlin Clark has a Tiger Woods' esque impact on WNBA fans (Image via FirstSportz)

Ever since Caitlin Clark came into the WNBA, the league has seen its popularity rise to a level where it is one of the most recognizable sporting leagues in the world. Fans want to see Caitlin Clark, and that usually translates to sold-out arenas, millions of viewers, and skyrocketing merchandise sales.

Entering her sophomore season, off-court narratives seemed to paint a picture as if her ardent fans had started to desert her. They were primarily right-wingers who were not happy that the Indiana Fever superstar had bowed down to leftist propaganda.

However, almost all the opponents she was scheduled to play against had to lease out larger arenas to accommodate ticket demands. Prices shot up more than last season, and so did viewership ratings, which were now regularly above 2 million.

Many WNBA regulars believe these fans watch the sport just to get a glimpse of Caitlin Clark. They believe those fans are not completely interested in the rest of the league, and behave as if she is the best amongst all. But veteran journalist Christine Brennan believes it points to something else. She wrote on X:

A quick spin around social media finds people who are upset that Caitlin Clark fans are new to WBB and there only for Clark. I covered Tiger Woods the length of his career and can attest that many Tiger fans were new to golf and there only for Tiger — and golf welcomed them.

The USA Today journalist recollected that when Tiger Woods broke into the world of golf, he drew in a lot of new fans. But the sport welcomed those fans. When it comes to the WNBA, she believes it is the opposite, as longtime fans are not happy that new fans have seemingly taken over.

Caitlin Clark makes it to front page of leading newspaper

Whatever some sections of fans want to believe, there is no doubt that Caitlin Clark is moving the needle for the WNBA. Her popularity has seen her draw hordes of fans wherever she goes, and that has translated to continued growth in women’s basketball.

She was named Time Magazine’s Athlete of the Year for a reason, as that implies the Indiana Fever star is someone who has a transcendent impact on her sport as well as on women’s sports in general. Now, another example of her popularity was evident when the general public received their May 29th edition of USA Today.

Usually, the front pages of leading print newspapers divide their sections to talk about the most important topics the nation is facing. Even if sports make their way to the front page, they are usually given a small section.

If indeed they become the main story, it is generally after a championship win or if it involves a major scandal or something devastating. In this edition, it was a photo of Caitlin Clark with her hands over her head and a headline that read ‘WNBA without Clark: League feels the hurt’.

This story about an athlete’s injury usually would have been fine in the sports section, took up prime front-page real estate on one of the leading dailies. It goes on to prove that the Iowa native has become front page material, and her impact, the headline.

Caitlin Clark’s injury recovery key to Fever’s success

Caitlin Clark missed the first game of her adult life when she sat courtside to watch her Indiana Fever take on the Washington Mystics. She decided to babysit her coach’s child and don the role of a camerawoman to take her mind off the fact that she was not playing.

Caitlin Clark became the Fever's camerawoman in her 1st game out
Caitlin Clark became the Fever’s camerawoman in her 1st game out (Image via Open Source/X)

When the game was in motion, she argued with referees and tried to motivate her teammates. But she knew all too well how the offense sputtered without her orchestrating it. Therefore, the Indiana Fever training and medical staff must help their most important player recover as quickly as possible.

They need her back zipping passes and scoring points, or else they might struggle to win against other teams. As of now, chemistry issues are preventing them from winning. If they improve, they could win a game or two. But with playoff seedings tight this season, the Fever have to start winning consistently and fast.

Also Read: