Iowa women's basketball enjoys big surge in popularity with run to title game and Clark's return | AP News

The WNBA, still in its 28th season and on the rise, pins its hopes on players like Caitlin Clark to propel the league into a cultural phenomenon.

“I remember times when people were making fun of this league. Not anymore,” said Boris Lelchitski, an agent who has represented WNBA stars like Candace Parker and Jonquel Jones. “This is a turning point.”

Expected to be the top pick for the Indiana Fever in this month’s WNBA draft, Clark’s achievements include breaking the NCAA scoring record, earning the AP Player of the Year title, and drawing record attendance and viewership to University of Iowa games. Another key player poised to make an impact is Angel Reese, the Louisiana State University standout who defeated Clark in last year’s NCAA championship game and boasts over 2.8 million Instagram followers.

“I see it as a Tiger Woods entering the PGA Tour moment,” WNBA marketing chief Phil Cook recently said.

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However, challenges persist. Financially, the WNBA remains relatively small, with reported revenue of $200 million compared to the NBA’s staggering $10 billion. Despite attracting 9.9 million viewers for the women’s NCAA tournament final, WNBA Finals games average only 728,000 viewers. Additionally, coverage of women’s pro basketball lags behind the men’s game, with ESPN’s SportsCenter providing significantly less coverage for WNBA games compared to the NBA.

Salary discrepancies further underscore the disparities faced by WNBA players. While the highest-paid WNBA player earns $242,000, NBA minimum salaries exceed a million dollars, with the highest-paid NBA player earning $52 million. Many WNBA players supplement their incomes by playing overseas during the offseason, and the limited roster spots (144 total among 12 teams) mean that talented players can be left out.

“Caitlin Clark will bring a lot of eyeballs to the Indiana Fever. Will that expand itself into interest in the WNBA in general?” That’s the big question mark,” said Noah Henderson, who teaches sports management at Loyola University in Chicago.

Turning Clark fans into WNBA fans

Nevertheless, Clark’s impact on the WNBA is already evident. Ticket prices for Indiana Fever games have more than doubled, and tickets to the WNBA Draft sold out in just 15 minutes. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert sees Clark’s entry into the league as a pivotal moment, setting the stage for its trajectory over the next several decades.

To capitalize on this momentum, the WNBA, its broadcast partners, and corporate sponsors must heavily invest in marketing and technology to convert new viewers into dedicated fans. Jessica Gelman, CEO of Kraft Analytics Group, compares Clark’s potential impact to that of Tiger Woods in professional golf, emphasizing the need for increased accessibility to WNBA games. Gelman also stresses the importance of maintaining advertising efforts during other sporting events to build interest in the WNBA and its stars.

Turning point for the WNBA

Clark’s arrival in the WNBA coincides with a period of growth and increased interest in women’s sports. Deloitte projects that women’s elite sports will generate over $1 billion in revenue for the first time in 2024. The WNBA raised $75 million, its largest-ever capital raise, in 2022 to support marketing and growth efforts. With record audiences, increased attendance, expansion plans, and a lucrative new media rights deal on the horizon, the WNBA is poised for significant growth in the coming years.