WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, speaking to the Today Show about the state of the league, said that while marketing is focused around all great young players, there’s one in particular that is “lifting” everybody up.
And it wasn’t Angel Reese.
“We’re obviously marketing around all of our players, but I think Caitlin’s lifting everybody,” Engelbert said. “Our arenas are packed, our viewership, I mean…”
“A key part of why I was hired is to look at how to bring in new viewers,” she added.
She didn’t have to look too far with the former Iowa Hawkeye becoming available through the draft, where the Indiana Fever picked her up. And they were off and running.
MORE from WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert on the impact Caitlin Clark has had:
— Vanshay Murdock 🎥🎥 (@VanshayM) June 27, 2024
"We're obviously marketing around all of our players, but i think Caitlin's lifting everybody. Our arenas are packed, our viewership…"
📈📈📈📈📈📈📈📈📈📈📈📈📈📈📈#WNBA 📹: @HodaAndJenna pic.twitter.com/Mbnc6QtpI7
RELATED: Caitlin Clark Picks Up Prestigious Award, Joins Elite Company Of Female Athletes
Caitlin Clark ‘Lifting’ The WNBA
RIP Angel Reese’s ego, I guess. You may recall the Chicago Sky rookie overinflated her own value to the league and insisted she was on par with Clark.
“I know I’ll go down in history. I’ll look back in 20 years and be like: ‘Yeah, the reason why we’re watching women’s basketball isn’t just because of one person. It’s because of me, too,’” she told reporters.
“And I want you to realize that.”
The rivalry between her and Caitlin Clark has certainly generated buzz. But the data from games not involving the two together show, as the WNBA commissioner states, that the Fever star is “lifting” the league.
Outkick founder Clay Travis posted numbers on his X social media account earlier this month where he suggests Clark is “by herself … nearly tripling (the) rest of WNBA” in bringing eyeballs to the game.
WNBA Commissioner Says She Doesn’t Think Players Are Targeting Clark
Outside of her comments about Clark buoying the entire league in ratings and ticket sales, the WNBA commissioner offered interesting commentary about the perception that the rookie is being targeted by other players.
Engelbert said fans just aren’t expecting to see such a level of physicality if they haven’t watched the product before.
“The fans we’ve had for a long time know how we have the best, biggest, most physical, best players in the world,” she said.
“What people don’t realize [is] in college, there’s over 200 NCAA Division I women’s college programs. There’s 12 WNBA teams; so you take the talent and it’s centralized with the best, the biggest, most physical, and, really, the best players in the world.”
Engelbert said that despite the overwhelming video evidence of targeting, it’s just a matter of Clark getting acclimated to the league.
“So I think there’s always an adjustment for all rookies,” she surmised. “I think our rookie class this year is doing outstanding, including Caitlin.”
