Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark continues to spark heated debates across the sports world. And it spread like wildfire when former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho delivered one of the boldest opinions, arguing that the league would actually be in a better position if Clark were not part of it.
However, Fox Sports analyst Rich Davis strongly rejected Acho’s stance, addressing the conversation.
Fox Sports Analyst Rejects Emmanuel Acho’s Bold Caitlin Clark Take
Davis argued that Clark’s influence on the WNBA has been impossible to ignore and said the former NFL player completely missed the bigger picture.
“Caitlin Clark is the reason the league still exists, let alone better off without her,” Davis said on Fox Sports. “Give me a break. I actually do like Acho, but this comment is absurd.”
His co-host Steve Covino also backed him and criticized Acho’s argument even with more context.
“That might be the weakest take of all time,” Covino added. “We’re talking about a woman who changed the entire league. As far as impact, we’re not comparing her championships or her skill level. what she means to the league ratings-wise, numbers-wise, jersey sales.”
“So when you talk about the revenue, the sellout crowds, the attention she brought at WNBA, he cannot be serious.”
And Davis and Covino are not wrong. Clark’s arrival in 2024 coincided with a dramatic rise in the WNBA’s visibility. Attendance reached new highs across the league, while television audiences set fresh records throughout the season.
Television audiences that once hovered around 450,000 viewers have regularly climbed past 2 million per game. And several franchises have shifted games into NBA arenas to meet growing demand.
Merchandise sales also climbed as more fans followed the league and embraced its growing popularity.
The whole conversation started during the Indiana Fever’s 111-109 dramatic loss to the Phoenix Mercury. During the second quarter, Alyssa Thomas appeared to make contact with Clark’s throat before stepping into her path, adding even more controversy to an already emotional night.
Then, Acho intensified the discussion with his strong opinion. “The WNBA, at this junction in time, would be better off without Caitlin Clark because she is a bigger distraction than she is an additive.”
Acho also doubled down instead of backing away from the criticism. He suggested that Clark had already helped deliver major changes and claimed the league could now move forward without her.
“Caitlin Clark has gotten the WNBA players past the proverbial Red Sea. Chartered planes, new CBA, new max contracts. With all due respect, if Caitlin disappeared from the WNBA, she wouldn’t be missed.”
However, that comment quickly sparked widespread backlash across social media and sports television. Many critics argued that Acho overlooked the league’s historic growth over the past year.
The league recently secured a media rights agreement worth more than $3 billion, providing a major financial boost. That increase helped pave the way for player revenue sharing, while permanent charter flights became a reality for every team.
As a result, the latest collective bargaining agreement delivered significant financial rewards across the league. Average player salaries jumped by nearly 400%, and the biggest stars can now earn as much as $1.4 million each year.
So these trends make it difficult to support the argument that the WNBA would somehow be better off without Clark.
