"Thank you Caitlin" - Dave Portnoy toasts Caitlin Clark's impact on WNBA after new $2.2 billion media deal
Caitlin Clark has been largely credited with adding value to the league both in terms of popularity and capital. According to a report from The Athletic, the WNBA has agreed to $2.2 billion in the new media rights deal that will last for 11 years. Barstool Sports founder David Portnoy believes that it has been due to Clark.
The Athletic reported the new WNBA media rights negotiations were held with the same networks the NBA secured their media deal with. The new deal will pay the WNBA four times more than the previous deal.
In a repost by Front Office Sports on X, formerly known as Twitter, Portnoy tagged the Indiana Fever rookie, and implied the league should thank her for the new deal.
“#thankyoucaitlin,” Portnoy wrote.
The new media rights deal is historic for the WNBA and a lot is expected to change for the league and the players. The new deal will pay nearly $200 million to the WNBA each season, which is four times the league’s last deal of $50 million.
The new deal will empower players, bringing in more money for the league and the teams, which means more money for the payers. The salaries in the WNBA have always been an issue and with the league selling more tickets and garnering more viewerships, a new day will be welcomed in women’s sports.
Sports analyst believes Caitlin Clark is the "most valuable" player in WNBA
Sports analyst Steve Hartman from Fox Sports believes that the Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark is the most valuable player in the WNBA. According to the NBA analyst, Clark has been the biggest reason the WNBA has been selling out games this season.
Hartman further explained that most valuable doesn’t mean the best player in the league, but the one who brings the most fame and value.
“If you’re actually talking about who is the most ‘valuable’ player in the WNBA, it should unanimously be Caitlin Clark because she puts butts in seats."
"Value to the WNBA means you are one that is making us money. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’re the best player, but it means you’re the most ‘valuable’ player, and no one has ever exemplified ‘value’ to a league more than Caitlin Clark.”
Hartman pointed out that before Caitlin Clark arrived in the WNBA, the league didn’t have as much popularity as today.
In terms of numbers, it is not difficult to measure the impact the Fever rookie has on the league. She brought many new fans and her popularity has increased the WNBA's overall value.