Team USA’s Controversial Women’s Basketball Roster Decision: The Downside Of The Caitlin Clark Effect

Caitlin Clark, one of the most-followed professional women’s basketball players and a fan favorite, will not be on the Team USA Women’s Basketball 2024 Olympic roster, according to reports. The move to leave Clark off of the 2024 Olympic team is sparking controversy from media leaders and fans, signaling a potential downside of the Caitlin Clark effect for women’s sport. While Clark has undoubtedly boosted fandom in women’s basketball, to truly witness the Caitlin Clark effect drive meaningful growth in the sport, newer fans should look beyond solely supporting one player.

Many have cited the Caitlin Clark effect as one of the driving forces behind the rise in popularity, fandom, and viewership of women’s basketball over the past two seasons. Sold out arenas are becoming much more common at both the collegiate and professional levels of play. Caitlin Clark’s professional team, the Indiana Fever has experienced an enormous increase in home attendance, surpassing their collective 2023 home attendance total of 81,336 within the first five home games of the 2024 season with a total home attendance of 82,857. Within the first three weeks of the 2024 season, overall league attendance was up by 40 percent compared to 2023’s final average (6,615). The Indiana Fever has the largest increase from 2023 (+12,504).

Linear and streaming television viewership has also seen similar spikes. Four weeks into the season, four out of the top five most viewed 2024 WNBA games have featured the Indiana Fever:

1. May 14 – Indiana Fever @ Connecticut Sun (ESPN2) – 2.12 million
2. May 16- Indiana Fever @ New York Liberty (ABC) – 1.71 million
3. May 18 – Connecticut Sun @ Indiana Fever (ESPN) – 1.56 million
4. June 1- Chicago Sky vs Indiana Fever (ESPN) – 1.5 million
5. May 18 – Los Angeles Sparks @ Las Vegas Aces (ABC) – 1.34 million

Downside of the Caitlin Clark Effect

Despite the clear evidence of growing fandom, attendance, and viewership, newer fans are inadvertently undermining the sport by exclusively rallying behind one athlete, and in turn neglecting the rich history of the league and its veteran players. However, the responsibility for this trend doesn’t solely rest on new fans’ shoulders. For decades, women’s sports and the WNBA have suffered from inadequate coverage, leaving little opportunity for consistent game viewing or player/team exposure.

Notably, the WNBA lacks a standalone major television deal, with its ESPN agreement bundled with the NBA, generating approximately $40 million in revenue for the league but resulting in fewer prime-time televised events. While Caitlin Clark has undoubtedly contributed to increased viewership, it’s essential to note that women’s sports coverage and viewership were already on the rise during the 2023 season, predating Clark’s entry into the league. Some experts believe that the WNBA holds significant leverage to secure its own television deal for the 2025 season and beyond, given the consistent viewership growth.

However, sustainable growth hinges on new fans embracing the entirety of the league rather than fixating solely on promoting one player. The recent expressions of dissatisfaction from Caitlin Clark’s fanbase following the Team USA roster announcement, which include calls to boycott women’s Olympic basketball contests, pose a significant threat to the women’s basketball community. Traditionally, the Olympic Games have provided a rare opportunity for heightened visibility and coverage of women’s sports, with viewership and coverage figures for women’s events often rivaling or surpassing those of their men counterparts.

Several experts in women’s sports, including Jemele Hill and Sarah Spain, assert that Olympic roster spots are earned through consistent performance rather than popularity or social media presence. Maintaining this standard is crucial for upholding the integrity of the sport and ensuring a high level of play on the court. Notably, securing a position on Team USA’s Women’s Basketball roster is highly competitive, as demonstrated by the exclusion of dominant WNBA players like Arike Ogunbowale, who is averaging 26.6 PPG this WNBA season, which is good for second overall in the league. If newer fans fail to familiarize themselves with more of the WNBA and its many talented professional players, their opinions may remain uninformed and hinder the sport’s overall growth.

Caitlin Clark will have plenty of opportunities to earn an Olympic roster spot in future years. Until then, new fans should spend time supporting the all of the elite women athletes who will be representing the USA in the 2024 Olympic Games, as this support undoubtedly helps grow the game for all players, including Caitlin Clark.