WNBA better off without Caitlin Clark? Former NFL player points to 'distraction' — what the numbers really say - RAW CHILI

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Former NFL player and sports commentator Emmanuel Acho has ignited debate after arguing the WNBA would actually be “better off” without Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark.

Speaking on his show, Speakeasy (1), Acho said Clark helped bring new fans to the league but has since become “a bigger distraction than she is an additive,” suggesting the WNBA has already crossed the popularity threshold it needed.

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His comments came just days after Clark was left off the league’s 30th-anniversary poster (2) and amid renewed scrutiny of how the WNBA has handled several physical altercations involving its biggest star.

Whether fans agree with Acho or not, the league’s business numbers tell an interesting story.

The ‘Caitlin Clark effect’ is hard to ignore

The WNBA wasn’t starting from scratch when Clark arrived. But many of its biggest business gains — from attendance to television audiences and merchandise sales — accelerated dramatically after she entered the league.

According to a WNBA press release (3), average attendance jumped 48% during the 2024 season compared with the previous year, reaching 9,807 fans per game. The league also recorded 22 regular-season games with more than one million viewers — both modern-era records.

Clark’s own games consistently drove much of that demand.

Her WNBA debut became the league’s most-watched regular-season game (4) since 2002, while multiple Indiana Fever broadcasts set new audience records across several platforms (5), including ESPN, CBS, ABC, ION and NBA TV throughout the season.

Ticket sales, jerseys and merchandise all surged

The financial impact wasn’t limited to television.

Clark’s Indiana Fever jersey sold out in less than an hour after she was selected first overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft. During the first half of the season, it became not only the WNBA’s top-selling jersey but also the second-best-selling basketball jersey in North America (6), trailing only NBA superstar Stephen Curry.

Fans also showed they were willing to pay to see her play.

The Fever finished the 2024 season with a WNBA-record 340,715 home attendees, while several road games were moved into larger NBA arenas to accommodate demand. A Sept. 19 matchup between Indiana and the Washington Mystics drew 20,711 fans, the largest regular-season crowd in league history.

One independent estimate suggests Clark’s economic impact extends even further.

Ryan Brewer, a finance professor at Indiana University Columbus who studies sports valuation, estimated Clark was responsible for more than 25% of the WNBA’s 2024 economic activity (7), including ticket sales, television audiences and merchandise revenue.

While that estimate isn’t an official league figure, it remains one of the most widely cited attempts to quantify the so-called “Caitlin Clark effect.”

In many ways, Clark has been the WNBA’s tenbagger — that’s investment slang for a ten times return. The challenge for investors off the court is finding their own Clark equivalent for their portfolios before everyone else does.

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Clark turned out to be the kind of investment every business dreams about — one superstar capable of transforming an entire league. Investors spend their careers looking for companies that can do the same for a portfolio.

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Finding your own MVP

Sports leagues spend years hoping to discover the next superstar who can change everything. Investors often face a similar challenge: identifying opportunities with long-term growth potential before everyone else catches on.

The difference is that you don’t have to play point guard for your financial future alone. Even superstars need a good coach.

Working with a financial advisor can help you build a personalized investment strategy based on your goals, timeline and risk tolerance, rather than chasing the latest headlines or market trends.

If you have a portfolio of $250,000 or more, platforms like WiserAdvisor can connect you with vetted professionals who specialize in this kind of planning.

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Whether you’re investing for retirement, building wealth or simply looking for a second opinion, getting professional guidance can help you make more informed decisions over the long run — and maybe hit a three-pointer too.

WNBA better off without Caitlin Clark? Former NFL player points to ‘distraction’ — what the numbers really say