“To have fans hanging from the rafters and sold-out arenas not only at home but on the road … it means the world to me,” said Indiana Fever GM Lin Dunn back in September 2024, after six different WNBA broadcast partners had set viewership records. The reason behind this increased viewership was no secret to basketball fans and analysts. The ‘Caitlin Clark Effect’ brought a new level of life to the women’s league and the Indiana Fever. The team’s status, too, is elevated as 41 of the team’s 44 games will be broadcast on national television! However, setting the franchise and WNBA record for the most nationally televised games by one team in a single season was not taken in a good way by many. But the supporters are no less too! Longtime basketball enthusiast and analyst finally chose to speak about this issue.

Rachel Anamarie DeMita recently released another episode of her long-running ‘Courtside Club’ show. She kicked off her segment by instantly jumping to the Indiana Fever’s game schedule story. After highlighting how the increased games are something the WNBA players and fans have unitedly asked for, she also indicated that non-Indiana Fever fans might not be too enthusiastic about the change. To them, Rachel highlighted that more Fever games mean their on-court rivals for those games will also be featured at the same time. The change might benefit the Indiana Fever more, but it is trickling down and helping the WNBA as a whole.

“It bothers me, because I feel like you should be happy about this, whether you like the Indiana Fever or not, whether you like Caitlin Clark or not,” said Rachel. “It has gotten to the point where we can no longer deny the fact that they are the biggest draw in the WNBA, and they proved that all of last season. They proved that all of last season with everyone against them, with everyone trying to diminish the wave that was happening. The ‘Clarkonomics’, that were happening, the ‘Caitlin Clark effect’ that was happening. Everyone trying to diminish that, and not just riding the wave and realizing it is not only going to be good for this Indiana Fever team, it’s going to be great for everyone. It’s going to be great for every single player in the WNBA, and also every single team in the WNBA”.

Fans of other WNBA teams have a foundation on which to be upset about. After all, only 33 and 32 games of the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty will be televised. After that, Angel Reese’s Chicago Sky will have only 24 nationally televised games. The Atlanta Dream, which recently acquired Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones, will have only 23 nationally televised games. The gap with Fever is too eye-catching, and credits to CC’s arrival for the popularity surge.

At the same time, DeMita’s remarks brought back the old storyline of WNBA players allegedly being ‘jealous’ of Caitlin Clark. Worse, the viewpoint has been promoted by some of the biggest NBA analysts too! Guess the name? Charles Barkley and Shannon Sharpe. After all, with the arrival of phenomena like ‘Clarkonomics’ and ‘The Caitlin Clark Effect’, a narrative was created that Clark’s arrival in the WNBA led to excessive media attention and a narrative that she is the ‘savior’ of the league. This, in turn, potentially overshadowed the achievements and contributions of other players.

According to The Seattle Times reporter Leonard Greene, Clark allegedly became a target of claims that she only got her acclaim because she is white. Angel Reese once refused to consider Clark’s impact on WNBA viewership, stating that “It’s not just one person, I think people don’t realize that [because] the narrative out there is that just one person changing the game. It’s a lot of us — me, Kamilla, there’s Cameron, Rickea”.

Now, the Indiana Fever games might have become another thing to resent for those who were not too keen to give Clark her flowers earlier.

Like it or not, as Rachel highlighted, Clark and the Indiana Fever are the biggest draw in the WNBA right now. This draw is now being tested by televising 41 Indiana Fever games in the upcoming season. However, if one analyst is to be listened to, then the focus should be further narrowed down, from the Fever to Clark itself.

Colin Cowherd suggests the WNBA should have a separate Caitlin Clark television package

Longtime NBA analyst Colin Cowherd is someone who has often held Caitlin Clark in high regard. The 61-year-old frequently praised the WNBA star, comparing her catalytic impact on her sport to that of Tiger Woods and Conor McGregor and marveling at the NBA’s reported invitation for her to participate in their All-Star Weekend. Therefore, it was no surprise when he finally chose to speak about the Indiana Fever’s 41-televised games feat. For Cowherd, the updated schedule was an indication that the WNBA should take full advantage of Clark’s ratings dominance. Therefore, according to him, one should put the team aside and focus solely on the player.

“If I was the WNBA, I would have considered a separate television package to a network on just Caitlin Clark games,” said Cowherd. After his co-host Jason McIntyre replied, “I would’ve bought it,” the banter continued as Cowherd added, “I would’ve had two packages. The WNBA package, and then a separate, let’s say 15 to 18 game Caitlin Clark package for, you know, it could be HBO it could be Fox it could be anybody. I would’ve sold a separate Caitlin Clark package”. 

Caitlin Clark brought unparalleled attention to a league that, in 2023, was just averaging 378000 viewers per game. Her arrival reportedly brought a 225% surge in WNBA regular-season viewership, which peaked at 1.23 million per game in 2024. Out of the 22 regular-season games that averaged one million viewers last season, Clark played in 19 of them. Therefore, if Cowherd says that Clark should have her own ‘television package’, he has a strong foundation on which to make his point.