Without a question, Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and her early-season performance have been the focus of the WNBA. But the first-year player’s start hasn’t been the best, as sports commentator Colin Cowherd criticized the league for the haphazard scheduling of Indiana’s games.
The Fever’s record this season is 0-2; they have lost by 21 and 36 points, respectively, in each game. This includes their loss against the New York Liberty on Thursday night, when the Iowa women’s basketball player managed just nine points. Cowherd would argue that they ought to have started Clark and Indiana’s schedule earlier because the league has already benefited greatly from her interest and income.
They have never had a player either good enough or interesting enough to drive marketing revenue and TV ratings, so that the entire league can fly private. They fly commercial like the rest of us,” Cowherd said. “That doesn’t mean there haven’t been good players, very good players, but Caitlin Clark, who’s never played until a week ago in a WNBA game is the first player that appears they’re banking on her and I say banking literally. They’re literally going out of private flight for two years. The money they’re going to spend on that’s more than the WNBA payroll, so they finally have this moment. Don’t put Caitlyn Clark up in the first four games against New York twice and Connecticut twice. The best defensive teams.”
Cowherd continued by citing other leagues, such as the NFL, that schedule easier games for major storylines, such as the Los Angeles Chargers coaching debut of Jim Harbaugh or the Chicago Bears’ acquisition of Caleb Williams, the first overall pick. The WNBA needs to “take advantage of these opportunities,” he declared, adding that the Connecticut Sun and the New York Liberty weren’t suitable opening games for the Fever and Clark since she would and had struggled.
The NFL gets Jim Harbaugh on the league. What is the NFL do? They give the Chargers the two potentially easiest games on their schedule,” Cowherd said. “Caleb Williams to Chicago. So whereas the NFL has the Chargers facing the Raiders at home, the NFL with Caleb Williams in Chicago won’t have them playing the very good Packers until week 11. Why? They want Caleb Williams to get his sea legs, open up with Tennessee, give them a fighting chance. Not a lot of TV exposure until weeks 15 and 17. They figured it out. Connecticut, the New York Liberty twice, Connecticut twice. Caitlin Clark struggling, she struggled last night. You’ve got to take advantage of these opportunities.”
Cowherd points to MLS and how they brought in Lionel Messi
Another example Cowherd brings up to relate to Indiana’s Clark is Major League Soccer saying that in terms of popularity, the WNBA is closer to the MLS than it is to the NFL. He would hone in on not only David Beckham joining the Los Angeles Galaxy, but just recently with how superstar Lionel Messi is now a member of Inter Miami.
The MLS is a prime example; it resembles the WNBA more than the NFL. They made sure Beckham arrived in Los Angeles; they did not send him to the middle of the nation, according to Cowherd. They ensured our arrival in Los Angeles. As you may have seen, the MLS has a salary cap on players like Messi. This morning, I was informed that Messi outperforms all but four teams. Regarding the salary cap, what is it? Whatever. It’s necessary to make things work sometimes. Miami for Messi, and Los Angeles for David Beckham. I don’t know if it was smoke-filled rooms, secret handshakes, or the Illuminati. Make it function.
WNBA has “got to do a better job” with Clark per Cowherd
One could argue that Clark’s performance, which affected the sellout audience in her debut game despite a blowout defeat, could have an impact on the WNBA’s ratings. Cowherd would consider whether the league ought to alter its trading regulations, but he would also suggest that they should capitalize on the star’s popularity.
“I don’t know what they have to do. I don’t know if they have to change the trade rules. If they have to get her better players, lighten up the schedule. But this is the 28th year,” Cowherd said. “This is the first player that is driving revenue and interest. So that the draft for the WNBA tripled the WNBA finals, tripled it. It’s insane. I watched it, I can barely tolerate the NBA. I don’t even know if I’ll watch it this year. Sometimes you just have to get stuff done. You just have to figure it out. Get Messi paid. Get Beckham to LA get Caitlin Clark an easy schedule. WNBA, you got to do better. You got to help Caitlin Clark, because for the record when Tiger came to the tour, everybody won. Tournaments won, the players one, the purses went up. The network’s made it work. The networks were changing programming, whatever, whatever you got to do change the programming. Got to do a better job of that.”
How Clark feels in the start of her career with the Fever
After hearing Clark’s perspective, she discussed the initial distinction between the collegiate and professional levels of competition prior to her second regular season matchup versus the Liberty. She will emphasize the WNBA’s increasing “physicality” and how she will grow more at ease, according to ESPN.
The physique is unquestionably superior. I get pushed off screens quickly,” Clark remarked. I find the game to be a touch too quick at the moment. It will pick up a little speed as I play more and get more at ease. It will be simpler for me to read and observe developments.
Clark says she has “great perspective” on the struggles
While an easier schedule could have helped her numbers, it seemed inevitable that there would be an adjustment period for Clark as she goes between two different levels of play. She emphasized about the lack of disparity in the WNBA where all 12 games have talent “across the board.”
When you’re in this league, there’s 12 teams — everybody’s good across the board,” Clark said. “We’ve got a young group. But as long as we’re learning and continuing to get better, that’s what’s going to be positive for us.”
“I have great perspective on everything that happens,” Clark continued. “It was the same in my college career. There were some moments that were absolutely amazing. And there were some moments I was not happy with how I played and how my team performed. That’s just life, that’s just basketball.”
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