The 2024 WNBA season was nothing short of revolutionary. The “Caitlin Clark Effect” led to record-breaking ratings during the league broadcast which reached more than 54 million different viewers across ABC, CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, ION, and NBA TV networks. This surge in popularity signaled a new era for women’s basketball.
However, an engaging and somewhat controversial trend emerged after the nationally televised games’ schedule was released. WNBA star Napheesa Collier recently voiced her concerns about the defending champions, the New York Liberty, being overshadowed by Clark’s Indiana Fever regarding national exposure.
Napheesa Collier Not Satisfied With the Broadcasting Numbers
During a recent episode of First Take, Collier was presented with the fact that the Indiana Fever will have more nationally televised games than any other team. Phee, however, acknowledged the importance of broadcasting Indiana Fever’s games to grow the league’s audience.
“Obviously, people want to watch Caitlin play, and you have to put the people on TV that people want to see,” said Collier during the interview.
But Collier found it “kind of crazy” that the Liberty, who dominated the league last season and claimed the championship, was not given nearly the same amount of national coverage.
“But, at the same time, there are stars all over the league, and you want good basketball, as well. Obviously, Indiana, especially like with their free agents, they’re gonna be a great team, but to not have the defending champs on TV more, I think it’s kind of crazy. It doesn’t have to be where you’re taking games away from Indiana, but I think you can raise the level of TV games for the other teams as well,” added Collier during the interview.
“People wanna watch Caitlin [Clark] play so you have to put the people on TV that people want to see… but to not have the defending champs [NY Liberty] on TV more, I think it’s kinda crazy.”
Napheesa Collier on the Fever getting 41 National TV games 🗣️pic.twitter.com/L4NQhwJEBZ
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 26, 2025
Clark’s impact in her rookie season was undeniable. The No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft proved she belonged in the league, leading the Fever to a respectable 20-20 record. She averaged 19.7 points, 7.8 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game. Despite her stellar performance, Indiana fell just short of the playoffs after being swept by the Connecticut Sun (87-81) in a must-win game in September.
Clark’s popularity reached its peak when the Fever set new attendance records through their games. During its May 14 match against the Connecticut Sun, Indiana basketball generated record-breaking viewership as ESPN 2 registered 2.12 million viewers.
While Clark’s appeal is undeniable, Collier’s concerns about the Liberty’s relative lack of exposure are valid. Last season, New York ruled the standings by sporting an impressive 32-8 league record. Breanna Stewart led the Liberty to victory after earning an MVP nomination while averaging 20.4 points together with 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in every game. The Liberty earned their first WNBA championship by defeating the Minnesota Lynx during the Finals.
The Liberty’s network television appearance count remains significantly lower than the numbers achieved by the Fever. Stats reveal that the Fever will broadcast 41 games from their 44-season slate, while the Liberty must content themselves with only 32 televised games despite winning their first championship title last season.
During her successful campaign, Collier steered the Minnesota Lynx toward reaching the finals while accomplishing extraordinary individual stats. As the main contributor, she averaged 20.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists during the season, leading them to postseason success.
The WNBA selected Clark and the Indiana Fever for attention because of their successful television viewership history. However, despite aiming to promote new talent, the WNBA needs to maintain proper recognition for established teams that demonstrate consistent success on the court. As the new season approaches, fans will be watching to see whether the league adjusts its approach.
However, while Collier questioned the WNBA’s new broadcasting tactics, one media personality had a unique presentation idea regarding Clark in this upcoming season.
Colin Cowherd’s Unique Plan on Capitalizing on Caitlin Clark
While WNBA stars are questioning the new national broadcasting numbers for the 2025 WNBA season, 61-year-old Colin Cowherd has a unique idea. The sports media personality believes networks should take advantage of Caitlin Clark’s massive popularity.
Cowherd argues that Clark, widely considered one of the most marketable athletes in basketball, has already proven she can draw massive audiences. He suggests that instead of bundling all WNBA games together in a traditional broadcasting deal, networks should offer exclusive packages for games featuring Clark.
“If I was the WNBA, I would have considered a separate television package to a network on just Caitlin Clark games.” – Colin Cowherd pic.twitter.com/aTuXa3sekC
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 24, 2025
“If I was the WNBA, I would have considered a separate television package to a network on just Caitlin Clark games. I would’ve had two packages. The WNBA package, and then a separate, let’s say 15 to 18 game Caitlin Clark package for, you know, it could be HBO it could be Fox it could be anybody. I would’ve sold a separate Caitlin Clark package,” said Cowherd during his show.
The numbers back up Cowherd’s argument. Out of the 22 regular season WNBA games that averaged over one million viewers last season, Clark played in 19. By isolating her games in a separate broadcast package, the league could not only boost viewership but also increase advertising revenue.
Whether or not the WNBA adopts Cowherd’s idea, it’s clear that Caitlin Clark’s impact on the league is already reshaping how women’s basketball is viewed and marketed.