Welcome to the first year of the rest of the WNBA’s life.
The WNBA’s 28th season, which begins Tuesday night, will be Caitlin Clark’s first year. Caitlin Clark was an Indiana Fever rookie who rose to popularity in the sports world in a way perhaps not seen in a generation of female basketball players.
What will the Caitlin Clark effect look like for a league on the verge of a “if you build it, they will come” breakthrough?
The exuberant attention the former Iowa phenom garnered during her college days, when her scoring ability shattered on-court records and heralded new records for live attendance and television viewership, was a major draw in the professional world. How long will it last?
Network executives and ticket offices are hoping for a boom.
The Fever, a team on the edge of the playoffs, had 36 of their 40 games scheduled to be broadcast on national television, and several of their opponents switched to higher-capacity venues for Clark’s visit. They open on the road Tuesday night against the backdrop of the Connecticut sun.
“This is a Thursday night preseason game and there’s 13,000 people here,” Clark said last week after his home debut at Indiana. “I think this is indicative of what things are going to be like for us throughout the season, and I think that’s going to help us.”
How does the spotlight shift between Clark and some of the diverse superstars powering the ferocious dynasty that reigns in Las Vegas, which has struggled as the WNBA traces its long Logo 3 arc to fame? I wonder if it is shared by?
The answers to these questions will have major implications as the WNBA reaches an inflection point in its growth.
Boffo TV numbers have been strong since this spring.
Clark’s Hawkeyes’ national championship game loss to South Carolina drew 18.9 million viewers, a record for women’s basketball and the highest for a basketball game since 2019.
The WNBA Draft, where Clark was selected No. 1 overall (no suspense), set a record with 2.45 million viewers.
Nearly 500,000 people watched an untelevised preseason game featuring the Chicago Sky and Clark’s college rival, rookie Angel Reese, streamed on their cell phones by a man named Ali. Noda.
Last week, the WNBA announced the introduction of charter flights for next season. It’s a change that players have been pushing for for years, and one that could be seen as shorthand for the league to enter the realm of big business.
A new team is in the works. Golden State next year, Toronto the year after that, and two more teams for a total of 16 teams.
This will increase inventory as the WNBA negotiates a new media rights agreement that goes into effect after the 2025 season, and will generate an influx of funds to significantly expand the salary cap in the next collective bargaining agreement.
“Growth is happening very fast,” said Sheryl Reeve, head coach and director of basketball operations for the Minnesota Lynx. “It’s really accelerating. And within my own organization, I’ve been saying that business as usual just doesn’t work anymore.”
Let’s take a look at some more stories.
Ace high?
A’ja Wilson leads the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces as a favorite to win a historic third straight championship. This is the first time in the WNBA since the Houston Comets won the first four titles (1997-2000). This is the first time in a major North American professional sport since the NBA’s Lakers (2000-2002).
Becky Hammon’s team includes Wilson, a two-time MVP and currently the best player in the world, as well as point guard Chelsea Gray, sniper Kelsey Plum, and winger Jackie Young, who play nearly every position. There are star players in Candace Parker is gone, but they have more depth. If there’s a question, it’s about Gray’s health after nursing a foot injury during the offseason.
super team challengers
Liberty, which lost in four games in the 2023 best-of-five finals, remains the biggest threat to the Aces’ supremacy with its starting five intact.
But the Seattle Storm is getting a reboot after offseason acquisitions of forward Nneka Ogwumike and point guard Skylar Diggins-Smith, who missed last season after giving birth.
And the Phoenix Mercury have no shortage of star power, with franchise pillars Diana Taurasi and Brittney Greiner plus newcomers Carlea Copper and Natasha Cloud.
other rookies
Although Clark will be the headliner, the 2024 rookie class is filled with talented players who rose to prominence through their collegiate careers.
Reese has been thrust into the spotlight in Chicago, where she will be teammates with former South Carolina center Camila Cardoso on the Sky. And No. 2 pick Cameron Brink will feature for the rebuilding Los Angeles Sparks.
