The list of athletes who top Caitlin Clark’s stardom is very short.
In fact, you can probably count on one hand the American athletes who are a bigger draw than the Indiana Fever superstar.
LeBron James, Patrick Mahomes, Stephen Curry.
How about Shohei Ohtani? Maybe.
That’s probably it, and even those names mentioned can be debated.
Clark’s popularity is hard to put into context as she heads into her second season in the WNBA.
The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch had what seemed to be a bold take on the surface, but when actually broken down by the numbers, it feels more like common sense than a hot take.
Put every one of Clark’s games on national television.
It’s important to note that the Fever will be playing on national television in 41 of their 44 regular-season games, which is the most for a single team in WNBA history.
It’s not like the league is neglecting its biggest star in any way.
Deitsch is just suggesting that they may as well flex the remaining three.
The WNBA’s first nationally televised exhibition game, which featured Clark returning to Iowa as a member of the Fever against Brazil’s national team on May 4, averaged 1.3 million viewers on ESPN,” Deitsch wrote.
“Only two of ESPN’s 57 NBA preseason games since 2010 have drawn a higher audience, according to Flora Kelly, ESPN’s vice president of research.
“Both games featured LeBron James, including a 2017 preseason game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls (1.4 million viewers) and a 2018 preseason game between the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers (2 million viewers).”
In other words, Clark’s stardom may rival James’.
And the numbers support it.
However, there is a balance between promoting Clark and not neglecting the league’s other big-name stars, such as A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert appeared on The Bill Simmons Podcast and explained how she and the league approach the balancing act.
“It is a balance but she’s a generational talent,” Engelbert said.
“No league is ever about one player, but in this case Caitlin brought tens of millions of new viewers into the W.
“There’s no denying that impact.
“Not just in the WNBA but the world of sports. Adam [Silver] and I talk all the time about this.
“She’s the most popular athlete in America.”
Engelbert referenced NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who works closely with Engelbert and seems to understand the magnitude of Clark’s popularity.
And while Deitsch’s suggestion of the Fever playing in every primetime slot isn’t happening, it’s not as crazy as it sounds.
After all, what’s three more games?
