WNBA stars Caitlin Clark and Cameron Brink have overtaken the great LeBron James and his team, the Los Angeles Lakers in terms of viewership this year. A surprising development that has shocked the basketball world and left many calling it “embarrassing for the NBA.”

As the Indiana Fever beat the Los Angeles Sparks 78-73 on Saturday, they drew 19,103 audience members to the Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles. That is 106 more people than what the Lakers and LeBron James drew out for the largest crowd in a home game; 18,997. This was the highest attendance that the Sparks have ever recorded. Safe to say, fans had mixed reactions.

LA Sparks outdraws LA Lakers, fans disappointed

WNBA sensation Caitlin Clark has been attracting attention everywhere she goes. To no one’s surprise, the Crypto.com Arena did not have a hard time selling out the stadium. They even opened up their 200 and 300 levels to accommodate more people. Social media buzzed with reactions and comments, people were both surprised and disappointed at the NBA’s declining viewership.

A fan went as far as to say, “Embarrassing for @NBA, @NFL better by a galaxy,” implying that even the National Football League was doing much better than them.

Another fan commented, “Take that LeFlop,” as a dig at Lakers superstar, LeBron James. This was one amongst many other remarks targeted towards LeBron.

With popularity, comes criticism, and LeBron is no stranger to that. Several people used the occasion as an opportunity to question LeBron’s superstar status since the ‘Caitlin Clark Effect’ seemed to have outdone him. A bitter comment read, “How do you like those numbers crybaby Mr. goat.” Mr. Goat in question being none other than James.

This isn’t the first time the Caitlin Clark Effect has broken records. According to ESPN, The season opener for the Indiana Fever, recorded an audience of 2.1 million viewers across ESPN2, ESPN+ and Disney+, making it the most-watched WNBA game since 2001. Her WNBA debut has resulted in a significant jump in the viewership and fans are delighted. Take a look at some comments from the other side of the coin.

The Caitlin Clark Effect

Even though the WNBA and its viewership have been gradually increasing over the past few years, it is no lie that the sensational player helped put the league on the map. This season, the league got off to an exceptionally great start and fans are excited for these new developments. Many shared their excitement about the news online.

Due the CC’s ever-evolving popularity, it is suffice to say that many believe that she is the very reason that the league is gaining viewership. One fan exhoed the same sentiment and said, “Let’s be honest, CC outdrew the Lakers,” implying that it had nothing to do with the LA Sparks themselves.

The WNBA has always been significantly less popular and less supported than its male counterpart and growth in viewership is a positive sign for many that root for the league. One such supporter said, “I hope the trend continues!” 

Another user said, “W for the WNBA,” meaning, a win for the WNBA.

And a win it definitely is. In a male-dominated industry, the rise of WNBA and its stars is endearing to witness. The era of the WNBA has arrived and female basketball players are finally carving out a name for themselves. The popularity of players like Clark serves as a beacon of hope for the future of women in sports. This shift is not just an indicator of the trends in sports viewership but also those in women’s sports.