WNBA’s Caitlin Clark Effect: Ratings Plunge, Racial Tensions Flare..
The WNBA’s 2025 playoffs are a stark reminder of one player’s outsized impact: Indiana Fever sensation Caitlin Clark. Since her season-ending groin injury sidelined her in July, viewership has cratered, with ESPN’s regular-season averages dropping 30% without her games Clark’s playoff debut last year shattered records, drawing 1.8 million viewers despite NFL overlap—a 300% jump from prior non-Finals games. Yet post-elimination, semifinal ratings halved to 929,000 for the Aces-Liberty rematch, a 50% dip from Clark’s opener Critics decry a 91% plunge in some metrics, blaming the league’s overreliance on her star power amid broader declines
Enter the backlash: Woke warriors in the league point to racism, not talent, for the disparity. Black stars like Angel Reese face vile fan taunts—racial slurs during Clark-Reese clashes prompted WNBA probes and a “No Space for Hate” campaign. Retired icon Sue Bird calls Clark a “pawn” in long-simmering bigotry, amplified by her white, straight appeal drawing conservative fans who hurl homophobic barbs at queer Black players. The union slammed media for pitting races, fueling a “race war” narrative
A’ja Wilson, the Aces’ MVP queen, ignited fresh fire by dubbing Clark “irresponsible” for the frenzy—her fame a “distraction” eclipsing vets like Wilson, who averaged 27 points but laments the “privilege” boost Clark enjoys as a white phenom. In a TIME interview, Wilson revisited race: “She understands her privilege pushes her over the top,” echoing May remarks on double standards Clark’s off-court $16M endorsements dwarf her $76K salary, irking players who see systemic bias—Black talent tokenized, white rookies lionized.
X erupts: Fans rage at “jealous thugs” fouling Clark, while defenders cry foul on her “victim”
