In its 28 years, the WNBA had never been the talk of the town the way it was the last season. The Rookie class led by Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese only helped the league observe exponential growth. And while the last season was nothing short of exemplary for the W, not everyone is only focused on the national side of things. The new Connecticut head coach has a different opinion on the rise of women’s sports.

On The Athletic Women’s Basketball Show, the host Zena Keita asked Rachid Meziane, “I’m curious with Caitlin Clark & Angel Reese, with all of the stardom that you saw in American basketball last year and that continuing into the Olympics…What did it feel like for you in France? Did you feel a similar jump in women’s basketball…?”

Meziane, who is also the coach of Belgium’s National women’s basketball team, stated, “Sure, we felt the same thing!” As he emphasized, more people are following the game despite the critics questioning it. 

“People likes to come to watch basketball women. Because the ball is moving, we have got a good mix of physicality and play smart.” Time and again, many legends of the sport have pointed out how women’s basketball is based a lot more on strategies than plain physicality and strength. However, the last season even proved that wrong as physicality was one of the major highlights.

Fans were not on board that yet another man was the head coach in a women’s league. However, Rachid Meziane wants to set the right example of being a foreign coach in the WNBA after the successful Olympic run of his national team, especially to pave the path of other international coaches to come to the US and be a part of the WNBA.

“It is something important for me. Like you said, If I open the door open then I like to keep the door open. So, If I want to keep this door open then do great job with Connecticut. Yes, so I will give my best for Connecticut but also for my French friends and French coaches…”

Him being successful with French women’s basketball club, Villeneuve d’Ascq, where he most recently led the team to a Ligue Feminine de Basketball (LFB) Championship and a EuroLeague runner-up finish during the 2023-24 season. His resume speaks for himself about his ventures outside of the USA.

WNBA is ready to test the Caitlin Clark effect in global waters!

There is no doubt that the rookie class of 2024 brought the hype with them. Headlined by the number one overall pick, the Hawkeye alum certainly moved the needle. The league reaped the rewards, as it was a record-breaking year, with regular-season attendance up by 48% and viewership on ESPN up by 170%. Last season, 22 games of Caitlin Clark averaged over one million viewers, and the league had 31 of those games.

Even the attendance for the Fever was up by 320%, and they had an average of 17,000 fans per game. The Sports Business Journal article by Tom Friend titled, Year-End Awards: Best Sports Business Athlete — Caitlin Clark — highlighted her impact on the game.

“When she played in an Annika Sorenstam golf Pro-Am in November, she attracted Arnold Palmer-type galleries and signed autographs on hats, T-shirts and bare skin. The WNBA is not oblivious and, according to sources, eventually will schedule a Fever game overseas to capitalize on her Q rating. Privately, the plan is to market the Fever like they’re ‘America’s Team. Which they already are.'”

Recently, brand analytics firm Zoomph reported rankings of every sports team in North America by their total social value and growth. Unsurprisingly, Indiana Fever was at the top of the list, as their total social value saw a growth of 635% compared to 2023.

Following Caitlin Clark was Angel Reese led Chicago Sky in second with 590.20% growth. So, no doubt the game is growing not only in the domestic market but foreign as well. When the WNBA schedules a game overseas, the response would surely lead to uncharted success for the league.