Ever since her arrival in the WNBA as the No. 1 draft pick by the Indiana Fever, 22-year-old Iowa native Caitlin Clark has been breaking records with every breath. From scoring and three-pointers to triple-doubles and skyrocketing viewership, she’s got it all under her belt. So, when TIME named her Athlete of the Year, it was no surprise. But the honor doesn’t have everyone on board.
Despite filling WNBA arenas to an incredible 94% capacity by May and driving 26% of the league’s economic activity, Washington Mystics co-owner Sheila Johnson doesn’t think Clark alone is the right choice for the honor. In an interview with CNN Sport this Friday, the co-founder of Black Entertainment Television expressed that the media needs to do a better job of promoting all players in the league rather than focusing on Clark’s accomplishments. Johnson didn’t hold back in her criticism of TIME, either.
She questioned why the publication didn’t “put the whole WNBA on that cover,” emphasizing the league’s depth of talent. “When you just keep singling out one player, it creates hard feelings,” Johnson stated. As the co-owner of three Washington sports franchises—the NHL’s Capitals, the NBA’s Wizards, and the WNBA’s Mystics—she argued that the WNBA’s growth isn’t solely due to Clark, pointing out that it’s a collective effort. “It’s Angel Reese as well. We have so much talent out there that has been unrecognized. I don’t think we can just pin it on one player.”
The controversy didn’t go unnoticed on social media. When the news hit X, the $12.32 billion brand’s community notes which were introduced to create a better-informed world by empowering people on X to collaboratively add context, seemed to serve the purpose. “31% of the Mystics’ total home attendance for the entire 2024 season came from just two games against Caitlin Clark and the Fever,” the readers’ added context read.
It’s hard to argue with the numbers. The Mystics’ season finale against the Fever was a record-breaking event, drawing 20,711 fans, the largest crowd in WNBA history. This surpassed the previous record of 20,674, set by the Mystics in 1999. For the entire season, the Mystics averaged 6,542 fans per game with 130,830 tickets sold, their highest since 2017.
But Caitlin Clark’s impact isn’t limited to Washington
In her debut season with the Fever, Clark won the Rookie of the Year title and earned a spot on the All-WNBA First Team, becoming the first rookie to do so since 2008. Her arrival coincided with unprecedented growth in the WNBA’s coverage and viewership, which consistently shattered records.
Clark’s influence has been so significant that the league’s overall attendance jumped 48% year over year, reaching its highest level in over two decades. Dubbed the “Caitlin Clark Effect,” her presence has driven not only ticket sales but also an influx of commercial deals, which Johnson believes may create resentment among other players.
However, here’s the kicker: Clark was reportedly responsible for selling one out of every six tickets to WNBA games during the 2024 season. Her impact also extended to TV viewership, which skyrocketed by a staggering 300%. Leading the league with 8.4 assists per game and a long list of accolades, Clark continues to dominate both on the court and in conversations about the league’s future.
