On Wednesday, ESPN’s Alexa Philippou reported the WNBA will not droop any gamers after a pair of skirmishes broke out in Tuesday’s Indiana Fever-Connecticut Solar sport, together with one with Fever guard Caitlin Clark.
Nonetheless, it is simple to argue the league ought to’ve issued harsher penalties to make clear that messing with its marquee star will not be tolerated.
Halfway by means of the third quarter of Tuesday’s sport, Solar guard Jacy Sheldon poked Clark within the eye whereas defending her close to the highest of the free-throw line. Clark then pushed Sheldon earlier than Solar guard Marina Mabrey shoved Clark to the bottom.
Mabrey’s technical foul for nudging Clark was upgraded to a flagrant 2, which carries a typical superb. Sheldon was later ejected for a tussle with Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, doubtless explaining why she did not obtain one other punishment.
This incident is not the primary time Clark has been pushed throughout a sport. Final season, former Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter shoved the Fever star in a 71-70 Indiana victory. The league upgraded Carter’s foul to a flagrant 1, which comes with an automated superb.
The league’s refusal handy out harsher punishments could persuade gamers it is acceptable to push or poke Clark, probably placing her in danger for damage.
Clark already missed 5 video games with a left calf damage this season. Throughout her absence, TV rankings tanked. Per Front Office Sports’ Colin Salao, 4 of the Fever’s video games with out Clark averaged 864,500 viewers. When she returned in opposition to the New York Liberty on June 14, the matchup averaged 2.2 million viewers, via Front Office Sports’ Ryan Glasspiegel.
In Could 2025, Ryan Brewer, an affiliate professor of finance at Indiana College Columbus, advised NBC News’ Andrew Greif Clark might assist the WNBA generate $1B in income this season.
Clark is the league’s largest box-office draw, and thus, it ought to think about doing extra to guard her.
