Every now and then, there appears a star in sports who changes the league for the good. Tiger Woods for golf and Conor McGregor for UFC are some of those big guns. For women’s basketball, many would say it is Caitlin Clark. The 22-year-old has certainly moved the entire basketball world with her skills, ability to interact with the fans, hype up the arena, and of course, her eye-catching shots. But is her comparison to the trendsetters really fair?

According to Colin Cowherd, it is. He shared his views on Caitlin Clark. Praising the Fever rookie for her influence on the visibility of the WNBA. Cowherd said on The Colin Cowherd Podcast, “Caitlin Clark is clearly a catalyst for a business. Let’s be honest, whereas Tiger and Conor McGregor elevated their sports, Caitlin to some degree, saved the WNBA. It was hemorrhaging money for years.”

Coming from a veteran sports media personality like Cowherd, it is surely a huge compliment. Looking at the same, there are quite a few inroads for these three that meet at many points. For instance, when Tiger Woods first debuted in golf, the game was not doing as well. However, his skills, aura, enigma, and playing style brought many viewers to his events. In his case, other golfers accepted him, and as a result, the market and sales of the sport enhanced exponentially.

Something similar was the case with Conor McGregor. His fighting spirit was not just part of the attraction. But his ability to trash talk, sell his fights, and entice his fans were the reasons why he boosted the potential of combat sports. Here is what Caitlin Clark has done for the WNBA.

Caitlin Clark- Is the face of the WNBA also the beacon of its growth?

The answer is indeed yes! The NCAA as a whole saw huge crowds lining up to get into her games. Whether she played against Angel Reese or Paige Bueckers, she could give the arena a performance to remember. Her half-court Logo-3s became quite popular throughout the sport and every team had internal competitions of the same. Her passing abilities usually take the back seat in contrast to her shooting, which is also no less than magic. Caitlin Clark has become quite famous for the mere fact that she can find her teammates anywhere on the floor and pass them the ball for a successful run.

But when looking at numbers, she has made changes before even stepping into the league. After April 15, 2024, she became the first rookie to sell out her jerseys within 24 hours of being drafted. Six networks so far have broken their WNBA viewership records with games starring the point guard, according to Front Office Sports.

Moreover, the rematch between the Chicago Sky and Indiana game was the most-watched WNBA game in 23 years on any network. Not to mention, she is already selling out the arenas wherever she is playing. Moreover, teams have to switch their locations to bigger arenas just to satisfy the demand.

These are just a handful of things that the rookie has done in terms of viewership. On the floor, she has garnered many records and stands beside the GOATs like Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart, and others for her skills. While apart from Caitlin Clark, the entire 2024 rookie class is also doing wonders. Many would agree that this 6-ft hooper deserves comparisons with the greatest of all time.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video.