The WNBA season is fast approaching, and the fans must brace themselves as the 2025 edition of the WNBA promises to be unprecedented. Nationally televised games, bigger arenas, private jets, and brand new teams, the league will never be the same again. The name that comes to mind? Caitlin Clark, of course. Deserving of all the attention she has garnered for herself and women’s basketball, there is no doubt that she has spread a WNBA fever globally. And while that was enough to get the league off and running, the addition of Bueckers this year might just give the league the wings they have been long searching for.
The Caitlin Clark effect, as it has come to be known, was in full swing last season as the league was turned on its head. CC needed no time to introduce herself as her college stint and her regular season debut for the Fever became the most-watched WNBA game on ESPN2 or any cable network ever. The rise in viewership brought along increased jersey and ticket sales. According to Fanatics, Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever jersey ranked as the second-best-selling basketball jersey across both the WNBA and NBA in 2024, trailing only her inspiration, Steph Curry. So, there was an undeniably positive impact on the league.
However, what also followed was a season that had an air of negativity surrounding it, as the league’s rise was marred by shifting the focus off the hardwood. As national analyst Rachel DeMita recently put it, “Negative narratives were spun, things that fans were saying, things that media personalities were saying, things that players were saying. There was just so much that was highlighted during last WNBA season that had nothing to do with basketball and for so many people it put such a sour taste in their mouth”.
Well, it is true that the narratives were successful in bringing in more viewers and fans to the league. Overall league attendance figures for the start of the 2024 season were the highest in over two decades, with a significant percentage of games selling out. Even the college fans who followed Clark to the WNBA, many of those have stayed for other stars who caught their eyes. “The new fans are truly fans of this league and through Caitlin Clark and others they have become fans of more than just one player or two players,” DeMita further said. Surely a positive, but what good are narratives that don’t see athletes for who they are?
These narratives made CC’s settlement into the league much tougher. While she had to explain herself because of her fandom’s own radical takes, she was also subjected to unwelcome behavior from the league. Constantly ridiculed and subjected to excessive physical play, the league made it known to Clark that she may be the next big thing, but not without trouble.
And of course, the narratives never stopped as they proved to be beneficial in the larger picture for both the media and the league. After all, many, especially the new fans, as Rachel said, were drawn to them. And while DeMita had no problem with competitive rivalry, it was the hostility around players that just doesn’t sit right with her. Yet, she agreed that it was an alien situation for everyone, that no one knew how to handle. “I will give some grace to players, organizations, certain media personalities because a lot of people just didn’t know what to do with the influx and the eyeballs that the WNBA got, they went from having this [small]amount of people watching the league and then exploding the next year.”
What she proposed, though, is that we leave negativity in the past, or else the league could go back on the progress it has made. “We have to leave these things in the last season, it has to be dead and buried.” she said. Saying that the spotlight must stay where it is deserved, the national analyst went on, “We have to stop shining the light on people who wouldn’t be relevant if it weren’t for people reacting to their horrible takes and the hateful things they have to say.”
So as we move towards the new WNBA season, DeMita’s demands are more than justified. The league, while still climbing up the ladder, has a lot more facets than the two college players who entered just last year. And if the WNBA is to continue its rise, it must capitalize on these budding opportunities.
Rachel DeMita is poised to set an example, taking notes from Clark’s journey
Although the blunt headlines around Angel Reese & Caitlin Clark first drew many viewers to the women’s basketball scene, it is no longer needed for the league to rely on negative narratives to prosper. And the thing is that the rivalry was denied by both players; the two have publicly expressed their appreciation of each other. “We’re not best friends, by any means, but we’re very respectful of one another. Yes, we have had tremendous battles. But when have I ever guarded her? And when has she guarded me?” “The only thing people cared about was this controversy that was really fabricated and made up, and then that has continued to be the case ever since,” Clark said to TIME. Reese has also called Clark “great to play with” taking the remaining air out of the rivalry claims.
With the WNBA now having everybody’s attention, the coverage can now shift away from the controversy and focus on the growth of the league. Leading the way to improve the quality, DeMita said, “Why don’t we set the tone, why don’t we be the media.” Understanding her role and the value her opinions hold in basketball circles, Rachel emphasized taking responsibility for the narratives being created, as she herself is a part of the media. “If i see something I don’t like, instead of giving that person more clout, why don’t I cover it myself and set the example on how I think the media coverage should be for certain players, teams etc.”
The WNBA season promises to be bigger than ever, with the Indiana Fever being a part of 41 nationally televised games this season. Notably, women’s basketball is projected to lead all women’s sports in revenue globally in 2025, anticipated to surpass $1 billion. This surge in commercial interest and investment directly reflects the growing appeal and marketability of the WNBA. The next wave of women’s basketball is here, and if the league aspires to sign deals that would let them stand on their own legs, every stakeholder has a major role to play this summer.
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