Ever since Caitlin Clark stepped into the WNBA in the 2024 season, one term has followed her everywhere. It is the “Caitlin Clark Effect.” It was coined because her arrival sent ticket sales soaring and brought a whole new audience to women’s basketball. Now, Clark herself has spoken about what she actually thinks her role is in all of this.
What Caitlin Clark Said About Her Impact on the WNBA
Clark was present as a special contributor for NBC at Paycom Center for the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the New York Knicks on Sunday night.
At one point during the broadcast, she was asked about her role in advancing women’s sports. Her answer was simple and honest.
She said that when she joined the league, she never thought she would become its face. Her only goal right now, she said, is to put a smile on everybody’s face.
“This was never my goal to change women’s sports. I just showed up and I played and I loved every single second of it. I feel a responsibility to show up and put a smile on everybody’s face that buys a ticket,” Clark said during the interview.
Caitlin on her role in the growth of women’s sports
“This was never my goal to change women’s sports. I just showed up and I played and I loved every single second of it. I feel a responsibility to show up and put a smile on everybody’s face that buys a ticket.” pic.twitter.com/FboReds2Ma
— correlation (@nosyone4) March 29, 2026
Last season, Clark played only 13 games as she dealt with groin and ankle injuries that kept disrupting her rhythm. Her fans were understandably worried.
But even then, seeing her on the sidelines at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, cheering for her Indiana Fever teammates, was enough to keep people happy. Even small moments, like her pregame hugging ritual with Aliyah Boston, became among the most talked-about aspects of her during the 2025 season.
Also, even when she is not playing in the WNBA, she still finds a way to make people smile. A few days back, during the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Clark was working as a guest photographer for the evening.
At several points during the game, the whole stadium’s attention shifted to her and her antics while clicking pictures. Then, after the game ended, her hilarious photos of LeBron James went viral on social media. So, in a way, she managed to put a smile on the faces of people who had not even bought a ticket and were not present at the game.
Now, while Clark has stepped back from the idea that she is the face of the league, it is hard to argue against it.
Last season, even with her playing only a handful of games, the WNBA surpassed 3 million fans in total attendance. That marked the first-ever season for the league above that threshold, averaging roughly 11,000 fans per game. It is the highest in league history, as per Forbes.
Clark may not want to label herself as the driving force behind it all, but her impact is clearly there.
