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 recreation, 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 recreation, 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 regular wonderful. Sheldon was later ejected for a tussle with Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, seemingly explaining why she did not obtain one other punishment.
This incident is not the primary time Clark has been pushed throughout a recreation. 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 computerized wonderful.
The league’s refusal handy out harsher punishments might persuade gamers it is acceptable to push or poke Clark, presumably placing her in danger for harm.
Clark already missed 5 video games with a left calf harm 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 towards the New York Liberty on June 14, the matchup averaged 2.2 million viewers, via Front Office Sports’ Ryan Glasspiegel.
In Might 2025, Ryan Brewer, an affiliate professor of finance at Indiana College Columbus, informed NBC News’ Andrew Greif Clark may assist the WNBA generate $1B in income this season.
Clark is the league’s greatest box-office draw, and thus, it ought to take into account doing extra to guard her.
