INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JULY 6: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever is seen during the game against the New York Liberty at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 6, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
WNBA’s Battle: How On-Air Assaults on Caitlin Clark Show a League at Odds With Its Own Achievement BB: News
In the fragile environment of professional sports, momentum is essential. For the WNBA, a league that has battled for every column inch and broadcast minute for decades, the 2024 season was nothing short of a revolution. That revolt was led by Caitlin Clark. A nasty rivalry that had been festering beneath the surface was then revealed during a moment of bewildering self-destruction that happened live on a streaming show while the league was having its most successful season ever.
The incident happened during a panel discussion for the streaming program “Playback.” What started out as sports commentary swiftly turned into what can only be called a personal, targeted assault on the league’s biggest star. Known as “old guard” WNBA media, a group of commentators not only criticized Clark but also denigrated her. Witnesses described the tone as “nasty,” “disrespectful,” and “honestly just shocking,” rather than analytical. This discussion of her performance was not objective. It was a public humiliation that was directed at both Clark and the millions of new admirers she attracted.
The attack’s main component was a total disregard for her historic rookie campaign. According to one panelist, Clark’s supporters, who had high hopes going into the league, were given a “rude awakening” when their “favo was not the best.” Claiming that she was “competing with people… who have been here for a while,” they immediately downplayed her Rookie of the Year award, citing well-known players like Breanna Stewart, A’ja Wilson, and even Clark’s own teammate, Kelsey Mitchell.
A maximum resolution YouTube thumbnail She’s not as good as you think, was the clear message. One panelist used Diana Taurasi’s famous quote, “This is a grown woman’s game,” to punctuate the point. Clark, the college star, doesn’t really belong here, was the obvious and patronizing implication. They see her as just another player, and they don’t need the hype. The reaction was as swift as it was expected. After videos of the tirade went viral, Clark’s sizable, recently active fan base erupted in rage. Calling the panelists “hateful” and “disrespectful,” they overflowed comment sections. Their rage, however, stemmed from a strong, obvious hypocrisy and went beyond simply supporting their favorite player.
When the WNBA was having trouble staying relevant, fans questioned where all this vital energy had gone. When the league was being disregarded and unpopular, where were these commentators? The “old guard” is now facing a crisis after a single player single-handedly increased attendance, TV ratings, and merchandise sales. The person in charge of the league’s extraordinary expansion is being torn down by the very people who say they adore it.
This is not just a catty argument. It is the outward manifestation of a conflict between the “old guard” and the “new mainstream” over the WNBA’s soul. A startling reality is revealed by the video analysis of the event: some WNBA fans and traditional media are “happy as hell” that the “fandom is over.” They are rejoicing that the “Caitlin stuff is over” and that social media engagement is declining now that the season is over. They consciously want things to “return to normal”—to being a niche product with a small but devoted following.
From the standpoint of business and expansion, this desire is utterly perplexing. For decades, the WNBA has been pleading for widespread recognition. It has seen its players travel abroad in order to earn a living wage. Millions are now being injected into the league’s ecosystem by a generational talent who brings with her the whole mainstream media apparatus. And the internal response is resentment?
It is a serious act of self-defeating behavior. To stay afloat, the league needs funding. It requires ticket sales, big TV deals, and sponsors. A sizable, well-known fan base is necessary for this. These commentators are essentially supporting the league’s demise by openly disparaging and excluding the “casual” fans Clark brought in. Because they are unable to accept the narrative changing away from their favorite players, they are excluding the very people the WNBA needs to ensure its survival.
Of course, it is impossible to ignore the complex and unpleasant role that race plays in this entire battle. “Caitlin Clark is a white player in a predominantly black league, and some people definitely have a serious problem with her being the face of the WNBA,” the report notes plainly.
Caitlin Clark Prepares For WNBA
Regular-Season Launch Some people think it’s “racist” that mainstream media and corporate sponsors favor her over the league’s established Black stars, who are equally as skilled if not more so. This is not a fresh or unfounded grievance. White athletes have a proven track record of being given preference in marketing by the WNBA and the larger sports media industry. It is achingly real to be frustrated that athletes like A’ja Wilson don’t get the same degree of media attention and sponsorship as Clark. There is a serious disparity that needs to be addressed.
But the approach shown on the “Playback” feed only makes the issue worse rather than better. The systemic problem cannot be resolved by attacking Caitlin Clark directly. The players who are being ignored are not suddenly elevated by tearing her down. It just serves to portray the league as “petty and dysfunctional.” It gives new followers a poisonous impression that this is a place where infighting and jealousy are commonplace. Demanding that the league and its media partners give its Black superstars an equal amount of attention is the better course of action than dimming Clark’s light. Instead of demoting the one player who has finally broken through the ceiling, the call should be to promote them.
Clark’s genuine, indisputable performance is overlooked in this poisonous conversation. The presenter of the video refers to the attempt to minimize her rookie season as “revisionist history.” The panelists’ claim that she won the prize “against established stars” is exactly why it was more, not less, stunning.
She flourished rather than merely survived. Clark scored more than 19 points and dished out eight assists every game. In terms of assists, she was the league leader. Several rookie records were broken by her. Most significantly, she contributed to the Indiana Fever’s transformation from one of the league’s poorest teams to a contender for the playoffs. These statistics do not indicate that a player is experiencing a “rude awakening.” These are a superstar’s statistics. Now that the season is over, to say otherwise would be an intentional attempt to “undercut her accomplishment.”
The whole situation is representative of the WNBA’s worst adversary: itself. The league is at a critical juncture. It has a new collective bargaining agreement to negotiate, financial momentum, and widespread interest. This was the time to show unity, take advantage of the expansion, and create a prosperous and sustainable future for all of its participants.
Instead, the league’s greatest asset is being attacked and division is being created by panelists on a stream. On the court, players make cheap shots, while the media downplays her achievements. The WNBA routinely betrays itself, shoots itself in the foot, and takes defeat from the grasp of victory.
Why Caitlin Clark Is Concerning Us Fans are worn out. They are fed up with the negativity, the ongoing drama, and the unfair treatment. All they want to do is watch good basketball. There is more to this topic than just Caitlin Clark. The question is whether the WNBA is happy to stay a niche product, undermined from within by the very individuals who claim to love it the most, or whether it genuinely wants to be a big professional sports league.
