Caitlin Clark has been making waves on this planet of basketball, and with that comes each followers and critics. This time, the critique is coming from none aside from former Seattle Storm level guard Sue Chook. In a current podcast episode of A Contact Extra with Sue Chook & Megan Rapinoe, Chook shared her ideas on the affect of the rookie sensation on viewership numbers, sparking discussions in regards to the broader implications of Clark’s affect on the league and its rising viewers.
Chook took problem with the narrative suggesting that viewership has dipped on account of Caitlin Clark’s absence from the playoffs. She identified that playoff video games have continued to draw spectacular audiences, with semifinal video games experiencing a exceptional 130 p.c enhance in viewership in comparison with earlier years.
In her personal phrases, Chook said, “Caitlin, she is a giant draw. Yeah, she brings in all of the issues, we all know this. We have stated this, and sure, the video games the place she’s not enjoying have decrease viewership. However within the WNBA playoffs-let’s use the semifinals as an example-the video games the place Caitlin clearly shouldn’t be in it as a result of her group misplaced are nonetheless breaking data from earlier WNBA years, nonetheless cracking 1,000,000 viewers.”
Chook’s feedback had been a direct response to media personalities like Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe, who had questioned whether or not the league may maintain its viewership with out Clark within the playoffs. She emphasised that such remarks oversimplify the league’s development and undermine the collective efforts of all gamers.
Chook says WNBA is a couple of participant
It is essential to think about Chook’s perspective right here. Whereas Caitlin Clark undeniably brings a number of consideration to the video games she performs in, Chook highlights that the WNBA is way greater than only one participant. The league has seen vital development and success over time, and it is essential to acknowledge the contributions of all of the gamers in shaping its attraction.
Chook’s insights immediate us to look past particular person star energy and recognize the collective affect of the whole league. Sure, Caitlin Clark is a standout participant, however she is only one piece of the bigger puzzle that makes the WNBA so compelling.
As Chook places it, “the video games the place Caitlin clearly shouldn’t be in it as a result of her group misplaced are nonetheless breaking data from earlier WNBA years.” This reveals that there are a lot of elements at play in the case of viewership, and it is not solely reliant on one participant.