The buzz around the “Caitlin Clark Effect” has been impossible to ignore since the Iowa alum stepped into the WNBA spotlight. And it’s easy to see why! Not only has she delivered several record-breaking performances on the court, but she’s also played a significant role in boosting the league’s popularity, with viewership more than doubling compared to last year. While Clark’s journey with the Fever has come to an end, her influence continues to resonate—this time with the NFL franchise.

Recently, a video from the Indianapolis Colts’ official account caught everyone’s attention, featuring Caitlin Clark waving cheerfully at the camera. A day later, one twitter user pointed out an interesting trend in the Colts’ social media engagement, tweeting, “The @Colts twitter account hasn’t seen a tweet in the last week receive more than 7,000 likes. This @CaitlinClark22 post in just the last 24 hours? 34,000 likes and counting… 👀” This just goes to show the undeniable influence of what most of us call “the Clark Phenomenon.”

Now that her responsibilities with the Indiana Fever are on hold until next season, Clark is making the most of her offseason by relaxing and branching out into other sports. Just a couple of days ago, fans spotted her at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The 22-year-old was soaking up the excitement of the football team franchise in the game where Indianapolis Colts locked horns with Pittsburgh Steelers.

It’s hard not to feel a sense of pride when one of the city’s famous sports stars shows up for your game, and that’s exactly what the Colts’ social media team did. Highlighting Clark’s recent ROTY achievement, they shared a post on X with a video which saw the rookie waving at the camera. “The ROTY is in the building. 🔥,” the tweet read. Since it went live over 36 hours ago, the post has racked up an impressive 6.9 million views, with more than 36,000 likes and nearly 1,500 retweets, showcasing the excitement surrounding her presence.

For quite some time, the Indianapolis Colts’ account hadn’t seen a single post hit a million impressions. Yet, just a Clark waving her hands has drawn nearly 7 million views to them! Her star power is undeniable and showcases the magnetic pull she has on fans. Still, when a journalist asked the WNBA president about Clark’s influence, she firmly stated that no league centers around just one player.

Cathy Engelbert disagreed with Caitlin Clark being a sole factor for league’s popularity

In a recent interview with CBS News journalist Jon Wertheim, WNBA Commissioner, Cathy Engelbert discussed the league’s current status and her insights. When the topic turned to Caitlin Clark, Engelbert highlighted not just the Fever rookie but also other emerging talents. This led Wertheim to inquire about her tendency to reference other rookies when talking about the Fever rookie’s influence.

Well, Engelbert wasted no time in providing a thoughtful response. “No league’s ever about one player. That player could get hurt or whatever. So I think it’s just to give recognition that in sports, people watch for compelling content and rivalries. And you can’t do that alone as one person,” stated the WNBA president. She earlier acknowledged the whole rookie class when Wertheim’s question was particularly about the Clark’s impact.

The WNBA president mentioned, “She’s (Clark) clearly an unbelievable player, came in with an unbelievable following, has brought a lot of new fans to the league. If you look at our historic season around– our attendance, our viewership, Caitlin, Angel too, Angel Reese, Rickea Jackson, Cameron Brink. This class of rookies, we will be talking about them a generation from now.” 

While Engelbert presents a sensible perspective, she also takes a bold stance, considering the massive following Caitlin Clark has built and her undeniable influence on viewership and ticket sales in the league. Now, recent surge in popularity on social media for the Indianapolis Colts further illustrates the rookie’s impact. While it’s important to acknowledge the contributions of other rookies, it’s hard to overlook the fact that Clark is driving popularity and expanding the fanbase wherever she goes.