Caitlin Clark should not only be highlighted all the time by the WNBA to maximize and capitalize on her popularity, but the league should also find a network deal to exclusively air all of Clark’s games in one place. At least, that is what one sports analyst thinks the women’s league should do to benefit more from the “Caitlin Clark effect.”
In one of the recent episodes of his program “The Herd,” analyst and sports broadcaster Colin Cowherd got honest about his idea on how the WNBA could further capitalize on the fame and popularity of Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark. For him, the league should consider bringing all of her games in a separate network.
“If I was the WNBA, I would have considered a separate television package to a network on just Caitlin Clark games,” Cowherd said. “I would have had two packages. The WNBA package and then a separate 5 to 18 Caitlin Clark package for HBO, Fox, it could have been anybody.”
“If I was the WNBA, I would have considered a separate television package to a network on just Caitlin Clark games.” – Colin Cowherd pic.twitter.com/aTuXa3sekC
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 24, 2025
Cowherd emphasized that Clark’s rookie season was a missed opportunity for the league, as it did not take full advantage of Clark’s peak in popularity.
“The league wasn’t ready for her last year,” Cowherd added. “They just weren’t prepared. She was prepared. She’s going to be great. The league just didn’t know what to do.”
The Indiana Fever had the most nationally televised games during the 2024 WNBA season. Out of their 40 regular-season games, 36 were broadcast nationally, which was a league record for that year. This reflects the immense popularity of the team, especially with Caitlin Clark’s incredible impact as a rookie.
How Much Was Caitlin Clark’s Impact on The WNBA?
According to financial expert Dr. Ryan Brewer, Caitlin Clark accounted for 26.5% of league-wide activity, including attendance, merchandise sales, and TV viewership. Her games averaged 1.2 million viewers and boosted the league’s economic standing significantly, including $36 million in revenue for Indianapolis.
Despite her unparalleled contributions, Clark’s rookie salary was only $76,535 due to the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement, highlighting the pay gap compared to male counterparts like Victor Wembanyama, who earned $13.8 million in his NBA rookie season.
Additionally, despite WNBA’s recent media rights deal worth $2.2 billion starting in 2026, and the rapid growth of league expansion, with three new teams joining, only 10% of league revenue goes to player salaries, compared to 50% in the NBA.
Caitlin Clark’s presence has led to record-breaking viewership and sponsorship interest, but the WNBA is still far from the financial benchmarks set by men’s professional leagues.
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