We need to talk about the future of the WNBA because things are getting crazy. According to Caitlin Clark‘s biographer, Christine Brennan, the Fever star could be starting her own basketball league. This could be a game-changer for women’s basketball and also a big blow to the WNBA.
The Indiana Fever star’s biographer, Christine Brennan, put forth a wild theory this week about Clark’s future in the league, on the day that she was named a captain in the All-Star Game.
The former Iowa sensation has driven massive ratings to the league and helped shatter attendance records as she’s become the biggest name in women’s hoops.
And while Clark is currently starring for the Fever, Brennan thinks she could someday start her own league.
‘Nike loves her. She’s got Wilson, obviously. She’s got Gatorade,’ Brennan said. ‘Even though the salary’s $76,000 for a rookie – it’s more this year now – she’s making $28 million from Nike alone, according to the Wall Street Journal. So she’s at $40 million, whatever,’ Brennan said on ESPN LA when asked about the prospect.
‘OK, fine, she’s doing great. And if Nike said, “We’re going to make the Nike-Clark league,” it would obviously take a few years to get the arenas and whatever.
‘But you know the TV contract. I mean, it’s Caitlin. Again, the TV viewership, it’s Caitlin Clark. It’s not Angel [Reese] and Caitlin. It’s Caitlin. It’s Caitlin Clark only.’
‘And I think Angel’s a great rebounder and excellent at what she does, but she doesn’t move the needle on TV ratings,’ she continued, as she promoted ‘On Her Game: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women’s Sports.’
‘It’s Caitlin. And they could do it. I think they could absolutely put it together in a couple of years. And I’ll stay on that because I agree with you. It’s fascinating and it’s doable because of the void in the vacuum of leadership the WNBA continues to exhibit.’
In no small part due to Clark’s effect on the league, the WNBA secured a new 11-year media rights deal with Disney, Amazon Prime Video NBCUniversal worth a reported $2.2billion, which is set to begin in 2026.
Additionally, the players’ union announced last fall that players were opting out of the current collective bargaining agreement, which is set to expire this coming October.
There has already been a prominent breakaway women’s league since Clark joined the WNBA, as the 3-on-3 Unrivaled launched last winter.
And while the league heavily recruited Clark, she ultimately declined to participate as she recharged her batteries following an extremely hectic year.
Now if Caitlin does decide to leave the WNBA and start her own league, it could really shake things up. Will other players follow her? Will fans start tuning into her league instead of the WNBA? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure – things are about to get interesting in the world of women’s basketball.
