Caitlin Clark rose to stardom as a college player, and her popularity has only increased now that she is in the WNBA. The Indiana Fever were one of the most-watched teams in the WNBA last season. There is no denying that Clark is one of the most popular players in the league.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert took that claim one step further when she appeared on The Bill Simmons Podcast.
“She is the most popular athlete in America,” Engelbert said about Clark.
That is one of the biggest compliments you can give a professional athlete in the U.S.
The Caitlin Clark effect is still very much alive
When Caitlin Clark left college and joined the Indiana Fever, she brought her very own fanbase with her. The Fever were involved in every viewership and attendance record the WNBA set in the 2024 season. That sudden popularity of a team that had been at the bottom of the league for years and its overall impact on the WNBA became known as the “Caitlin Clark effect.”
Clark’s popularity has not subsided. If anything, fans are even more excited to see her in her sophomore season. The Fever’s second preseason game against the Brazilian national team averaged 1.3 million viewers, and their team’s last preseason game against the Atlanta Dream sold out.
2025 should be another record-setting season for the Fever and the WNBA as a whole. Caitlin Clark will certainly play her part. The league made sure to feature as many of her games as possible on the big stage.
Caitlin Clark isn’t the only player the league should promote
Despite her popularity, Caitlin Clark is not the only player the WNBA should be promoting. One player alone cannot represent the entire league, and there are plenty of other big-time stars in the WNBA.
Engelbert acknowledged the need to balance Clark’s stardom with the promotion of other players.
“It’s a balance, but she’s a generational talent,” Engelbert said. “No league is about one player. But in this case, Caitlin brought tens of millions of new viewers into the W, and there’s no denying that impact.”
She added, “You want to make sure that you’re also promoting your other stars, like an A’ja Wilson, like a Breanna Stewart. Napheesa Collier killed it last year.”
Caitlin Clark is an incredibly talented player. Her personality and ability to hit long threes or dish out perfectly placed assists make her fun to watch. And yet, she is not the only player deserving to be treated like a big-time star.
A’ja Wilson is a three-time MVP, and her new signature shoe just sold out within minutes. The WNBA needs to capitalize on her popularity as well as the talent of other stars like Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart, Angel Reese, Napheesa Collier, Arike Ogunbowale, Paige Bueckers, and many others.