Caitlin Clark already facing criticism from WNBA star over ‘crazy’ decision ahead of the new season

WNBA superstar Napheesa Collier has already taken issue with treatment of Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever before the new season has even tipped off. 

Last week it was announced that the Fever, headlined by 2024 No. 1 draft pick, Clark, would have the biggest national-audience slate in league history when the WNBA’s television schedule for the 2025 season was unveiled. 

The Fever are said to have 41 of their 44 games throughout the upcoming campaign televised or made available on streaming. 

In comparison, last season’s champions, the New York Liberty, will only have 32 nationally televised or streamed games. 

And Collier, whose Minnesota Lynx were defeated by the Liberty in the championship series, questioned why the spotlight wasn’t being shone on the WNBA’s other stars.

‘Obviously, people want to watch Caitlin play, and you have to put the people on TV that people want to see. But, at the same time, there are stars all over the league, and you want good basketball, as well,’ the Unrivaled co-founder said on Tuesday’s First Take on ESPN.

‘Obviously, Indiana with their free agents will be a great team, but to not have the defending champs on TV more, I think it’s kind of crazy.

‘It doesn’t have to be that you’re taking games away from Indiana but I think that you can raise the level of TV games for the rest of the league as well.’

Collier did admit that Clark and her superstar popularity deserve the extra exposure gifted to them by the league but the four-time All-Star questioned why the league as a whole couldn’t benefit. 

‘I do think Caitlin is a star,’ she added. ‘Like I said, people do want to see her. We are in a position where we’re trying to grow the league, you need to out on TV the players that people want to see. 

‘But I don’t think that raising the level of the other teams has to bring down Caitlin or the Indiana Fever. They should have that amount of games on TV on prime time but I also think other teams should have more than what they have.’

The 2024 WNBA Finals between the Liberty and Lynx were the most-watched finals in 25 years. 

But the Caitlin Clark effect cannot be denied. Last year, six different league television partners set viewership records for their highest WNBA game with all involving Clark and the Fever, according to The Athletic. 

This season, in addition to an expanded broadcast slate, multiple teams around the league have had to move their upcoming games from the normal home arenas to bigger venues against the Fever to accommodate the demand. 

Yet, the Aces and Washington Mystics have also moved games against other teams to larger venues. Washington relocated games against Las Vegas and Chicago to EagleBank Arena in Virginia. Meanwhile, the Aces moved two games against the Sky and one against the Lynx to T-Mobile Arena.

The Fever face Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky in their season opener on May 17 with the matchup airing on ABC.