Pat McAfee began Monday’s episode of The Pat McAfee Show by trying to prove Caitlin Clark is the sole reason for the WNBA’s rise in popularity.
Clark was again at the center of the sports world over the weekend after she was involved in an incident with Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter. Moments after Clark elbowed Carter, the 25-year-old returned the favor by shoving her to the ground. The play was ruled a common foul during the game, but the WNBA upgraded it to a flagrant foul when league officials reviewed it after the game.
Some people — including Stephen A. Smith — took Carter’s actions as a sign that some players are jealous of Clark. For his contribution to the industry-wide conversartion, McAfee decided to pivot and take aim at members of the media who claim the WNBA’s popularity is a result of the entire draft class — which includes Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, and Kamilla Cardoso — and not just Clark. He then introduced a segment called “Guess Which WNBA Rookie,” when he listed various stats showing the impressive TV ratings Clark has attracted since entering the league.
Let’s dive into the REALITY of the Caitlin Clark WNBA situation#PMSLive #Journalism pic.twitter.com/7Z96TEemLN
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 3, 2024
At the end of the segment, McAfee also called out the ones claiming her popularity is also fueled by the fact that she’s White.
“But I would like the media people that continue say, ‘This rookie class, this rookie class, this rookie class,’” McAfee said. “Nah, just call it for what it is. There’s one White bitch for the Indiana team who is a superstar.”
Although Clark has been a factor in the increased viewership — she’s played in four of the five most-watched games this season — ratings have been trending upward long before she entered the league. Last year’s WNBA Finals between the New York Liberty and the Las Vegas Aces, for example, was the most-watched championship series in 20 years. The series managed to attract an audience 36% larger than 2022’s WNBA Finals.
Watch above via ESPN2.
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