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WNBA eyes global expansion for Caitlin Clark and Fever with 'America's team' branding: Report
The WNBA has seen a massive uptick in viewership in the past year, with the arrival of Indiana Fever rookie and erstwhile college sensation Caitlin Clark. With Clark in her first year as a professional player, the league hit milestone after milestone in what was considered a benchmark year for women’s basketball.
Now with a global reach, the WNBA is looking to tap into its popularity by bringing games overseas. According to a report by the Sports Business Journal’s Tom Friend, the league plans to have Clark and the Fever play an overseas game, marking them as an “America team.”
"When she played in an Annika Sorenstam golf pro-am in November, she attracted Arnold Palmer-type galleries and signed autographs on hats, T-shirts and bare skin," the report reads. "The WNBA is not oblivious and, according to sources, eventually will schedule a Fever game overseas to capitalize on her Q rating.
"Privately, the plan is to market the Fever like they’re 'America’s Team.'"
No specifics have been reported yet about the league's potential plans to go abroad.
Capitalizing on Clark’s superstardom is the way to go for the WNBA. Clark attracted record numbers for Fever games this year, averaging a league record 17,035 fans at their home floor, while also an average of 1.178 million TV viewers tuned in to watch her play every game.
It was only the beginning for Clark, as she was also featured on this year’s Time Magazine Athlete of the Year cover. It chronicled her first year in the professional ranks, following a momentous stint with the Iowa Hawkeyes in college.
Clark did not disappoint on the court, averaging 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 8.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game to tow the Fever to their first playoff appearance since 2016.
Top woman sports executive believes Caitlin Clark is the “lightning rod” in women’s basketball
Caitlin Clark has been the figurehead of numerous year-end special features in 2024. One of those was Forbes, which interviewed The Collective’s executive vice president, Thayer Lavielle, to explain how big of an impact Clark had in women’s sports.
“Caitlin Clark became the lightning rod of this moment in time. Lavielle estimates the value of professional women’s basketball and soccer stands to increase by a combined $1.6 billion over the next three years, a figure that is based on attendance and viewership (on television or streaming equivalents) and doesn’t include merchandise or media deals,” an excerpt of the feature read.
Lavielle said women’s basketball and soccer’s combined value will reach $1.6 billion in the next few years, considering the big leap the WNBA and the National Women’s Soccer League made this year.
Until then, Clark is expected to continue her stellar run in her sophomore season next year.
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