“Are you willing to admit how stupid it was for y’all not to go all in to elevate Caitlin Clark?” That’s Stephen A. Smith calling out the WNBA for what he calls a missed chance to maximize popularity. The rookie has been a magnet for fans since she hit the court for the Indiana Fever. She wasn’t just putting up big numbers on the court, but off-court, too.

But, Smith believes the WNBA failed to leverage her stardom even further. He believed promoting Clark could’ve benefited everyone. “Y’all could have reaped the benefits. Higher television ratings, higher attendance figures.”

According to the ESPN analyst, “That doesn’t come courtesy of a league; it comes courtesy of the players that play in the league.” He emphasized that 2024 ROTY was the most popular player entering the season and argued that the WNBA should have seized every chance to promote her from the very start, especially by pushing for her spot on Team USA. “You didn’t do it, you didn’t want to rather,”  the ESPN analyst says. He even targeted WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes, who he claimed was hesitant to acknowledge Clark. 

“But if you went the opposite direction, it could have helped that much and facilitated you being in an even stronger position,” he added while speaking about CBA on his YouTube channel. But truly, the Fever guard’s impact has been impressive, and numbers say it all. Before she joined, no WNBA game had ever averaged over 1 million viewers since 2008.

However, Clark shattered that with 23 games surpassing that mark, 20 of which she played in. Her own franchise went from one of the lowest-attended teams to leading the league, averaging over 17,000 fans per game. That’s over 300,000 fans across the season.

Along with the attendance, her impact on viewership was massive. Her games set single-game viewership records for ESPN, CBS, ABC, and even NBA TV. Yet, even after the most successful season, it wasn’t enough for the owners to trust. Now, players are pushing for bigger changes by opting out of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

WNBA opts out of CBA

The CBA, originally signed in 2020, was meant to last until 2027 but will now expire after next season. This gives the league and players one year to reach a new agreement. Now, the WNBA demands a better financial model, one that includes a higher revenue share and, potentially, ownership stakes.

WNBPA Executive Director Terri Carmichael Jackson said, “The players decided to opt out of the last CBA to realign the business and save the league from its own limitations.” 

However, if a deal isn’t reached before the 2026 season, the WNBA risks a lockout. Neither side wants this, but it could be on the cards in the worst case scenario.

For now, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has expressed optimism, “With the historic 2024 WNBA season now in the books, we look forward to working together with the players and the WNBPA on a new CBA that is fair for all and lays the foundation for growth and success for years to come.” 

We hope it doesn’t end like the 2006 CBA, where negotiations failed to achieve a revenue-sharing model. “When we get to the bargaining table, we’ll continue to talk about the issues that are most important to the players,” Engelbert said. Let us witness the WNBA transform in ways that keep top players happy, and fans engaged.