If you think the WNBA is only growing because Caitlin Clark arrived, think again.
When the 2024 WNBA season kicks off on Tuesday, it will begin with unprecedented hype. But ESPN’s Ari Chambers wants everyone to remind fans that the league’s growth isn’t just because of Caitlin Clark.
The WNBA has experienced so many recent positive changes — like season-long charter flights and new expansion teams — that many people have attributed them to Caitlin Clark’s superstardom. The general sentiment is also that Caitlin Clark is the sole driving force behind so many eyes on women’s professional basketball.
However, Chambers refutes those notions and shared with For The Win that the W’s rise in popularity is colliding in a uniquely timed fashion with Caitlin Clark because of the greats that came before her.
Here’s what Chambers told For The Win on Monday:
“We saw networks get behind Caitlin Clark, showcase her and thrust her forward. The visibility — knowing that that type of talent is out there — got people hooked. Imagine if we had been doing that over the years. Imagine if we had the network power behind all the greats that preceded her. If those players were made visible, we could see if we could fall in love with those players from the past. I fear that when the WNBA’s fandom scales up, the people that got it to where it is are erased.
“It’s our job as media and talking heads to spread the history and show that it’s super rich. Dating back to Title IX, varsity sports, the ABL and the WNBA in its infancy — those players had to push past boundaries and major roadblocks just to get mainstream attention. We can’t erase that.
“Caitlin is the beneficiary of all the hard work of the previous legends. I want people to know that that everything you see now, they’re privileged enough to be the beneficiaries of those who are doing the groundwork. Caitlin is an integral piece of continuing to build that.”
