WNBA Fans are once again arguing about the league’s direction as Caitlin Clark continues to build her profile outside the court, this time as a scheduled guest analyst on NBC. The news landed in the middle of slow and tense collective bargaining talks, giving WNBA Fans a new angle to criticize what they see as years of missed chances.
One of the most shared posts came from @mikeaalen112735, who claimed the league has already lost the momentum it built last year. “Imo the wnba has lost huge momentum. They fumbled the Caitlin Clark phenomenon. After she got hurt the ratings tumbled. Podcasts covering the WNBA have witnessed their views plummet. This is all part of the same ecosystem. And now unrivaled ratings down big. Wake up wnba.”
Im willing to bet that NBC will have a ratings bump on the 1st when CC is a guest analyst. It will be another clue
— don ruiz (@fatdon1300) January 27, 2026
His comment struck a chord with many WNBA Fans who believe interest dipped after Clark’s injury and never fully recovered. Several replies pointed to public viewership charts and podcast analytics that showed noticeable drops compared to last season’s peak weeks.
The discussion widened when @fatdon1300 jumped in with a prediction. “Im willing to bet that NBC will have a ratings bump on the 1st when CC is a guest analyst. It will be another clue,” he wrote. WNBA Fans quickly boosted the comment, framing it as a test of Clark’s pull versus the league’s current presentation.
Another post gaining traction came from @Big10_Sports, who took a sarcastic tone. “WNBA is so mismanaged that they will relate the bump to something else.” That line was repeated across threads, with WNBA Fans joking that any success would be credited to marketing pushes, scheduling luck, or outside factors.
For many WNBA Fans, the frustration isn’t just about one appearance or one player. It reflects a broader belief that the league failed to protect and grow a rare surge of mainstream attention. As Clark steps into more media roles, WNBA Fans are watching closely, not only for numbers, but for what those numbers might say about where interest truly follows.
WNBA Fans Turn On The League’s Culture As Momentum Debate Grows
As the ratings debate spread, another theme began to dominate the replies: WNBA Fans arguing that the league’s own culture and messaging drove new viewers away long before any numbers dropped.
One of the most liked posts came from @BQuintoria, who blamed public controversies for cooling interest. “A lot of newer fans have been pushed away because of unprofessional behaviour of the league. I’ll never understand what they expected to get out of slandering an entire fanbase, making up false allegations of monkey chants and so much more,” she wrote, before adding, “Hopefully we can regain momentum.”
Another personal account that gained traction came from @jalmeida12, who described quietly walking away. “I’m only one person, but the constant bickering and race baiting caused me to stop watching. I watched almost every game in 2024, and even a few Unrivaled games here and there. Didn’t watch May W games this season, and couldn’t tell you where or when Unrivaled is on.”
One well-liked reply came from @hoodiepap22, who shifted blame toward labor leadership and player attitudes. “It’s The players fault if they embraced Caitlin they could’ve capitalized,” he said, adding, “Now the league collapsing and you can blame the players association.”
Across threads, WNBA Fans repeated the same idea: public trust and excitement are fragile. Whether the NBC appearance brings a spike or not, WNBA Fans believe the real problem sits deeper than a single broadcast. The divide shows a growing sense that rebuilding interest will require changes in tone, leadership, and how the league deals with both stars and supporters.
