![\"Caitlin](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/caitlin-clark-banner_4488.jpg\"\/)
<\/p>\nTalking about sports is a bit out of my comfort zone but this Caitlin Clark thing has been on my mind all day. As I wrap up a visit to Indianapolis, I can literally see the basketball star’s home turf across the street from my hotel room.<\/p>\n
I also happened to be at the game this week when Clark was on the receiving end of a fist to her neck as she laid on the hardwood floor. People can debate whether the hit was intentional or not – and while I personally think it was, it’s not really the bigger issue.<\/p>\n
I was invited to go to the Fever game on Wednesday night and was at first inclined to say that I wasn’t really interested. But then I paused and sent my friend a follow up text. “Wait.. is that the team with Caitlin Clark?” (Not joking – I honestly had no idea.)<\/p>\n
When they confirmed that she was in fact on the team, I immediately changed my mind and said that I would absolutely go. Why? Not because I particularly love basketball. Not because I have any real interest in the WNBA. But because I wanted to witness Caitlin Clark in person.<\/p>\n
As I watched the commotion leading up to game time – you couldn’t help but notice hundreds of young girls in every direction – all wearing various shirts and jerseys with Clark’s name on the back.<\/p>\n
People were taking selfies in front of a light pole that had her name and likeness displayed on a banner. A local tourism official mentioned to me that Clark alone is bringing in thousands of visitors from all over the country. Interest in the basketball star helps fill up hotel rooms, generates revenue for local restaurants, and of course – sells tickets inside the city’s basketball stadium.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever banner on a light fixture in downtown Indianapolis<\/p>\n
(B. Clevlen)<\/p>\n
Yet – the WNBA, many of its players, coaches, referees, and I assume – at least some of the loyal league fan base — all despise her. I read through some wild comments earlier on social media from people saying she whines too much or she’s knocked down routinely because she’s just not tough enough.<\/p>\n
One woman actually wrote that this most recent incident was overblown because the other player was “simply trying to get back up off the floor and wasn’t really punching Clark’s throat.”<\/p>\n
Right. Because when I have to pick myself up off the ground I always do so with a clenched fist. (Insert eye-roll here.)<\/p>\n
Part of the fun in sports is being obnoxious and pretending to be an expert from your living room. From our couch – we\u2019re all experts in striking out batters, hitting three point shots, acing serves, and scoring goals – despite having no measurable athletic skills. But at a certain point – absurdity and blind ignorance is inexcusable.<\/p>\n
A couple of months ago I was sitting at a bar while on a road trip through Kansas and Caitlin Clark was the topic of conversation between several guys watching a TV overhead. I overheard all three grown men joke that they’d never be caught dead watching a WNBA game – unless Caitlin Clark happened to be playing. Each guy audibly rooted for her as though she was their own daughter. I imagine this scenario plays out in many sports bars and living rooms across America.<\/p>\n
![\"Caitlin](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/caitlin-clark-sports_6538.jpg\"\/)
<\/p>\n
Caitlin Clark shooting a free throw at the Indiana Fever game in Indianapolis (6\/24\/26)<\/p>\n
(B. Clevlen)<\/p>\n
As for me – I’m a relatively open minded person and would be willing to give the WNBA a chance. The theatrics of the game along with the great video productions, music and fan interactions between quarters, all helped make it a really fun atmosphere. I thought for sure I’d leave the stadium early and wound up staying for the entire game.<\/p>\n
But I’m also smart enough to know exactly what brought me in the front door in the first place. It wasn’t the fancy graphics on the jumbotron, the amusing giveaways, or even the basketball game itself.<\/p>\n
It was Caitlin Clark.<\/p>\n
It was only Caitlin Clark.<\/p>\n
If the other players and leaders of the WNBA aren\u2019t smart enough to embrace and appreciate the one person that is actually bringing you new fans, more revenue, and a greater legitimacy to your sport – you don’t deserve any of those things.<\/p>\n
And you certainly do not deserve her.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Talking about sports is a bit out of my comfort zone but this Caitlin Clark thing has been…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":767514,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[629],"tags":[49,735,48,2803,3844,82,630,22432],"class_list":["post-767513","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wnba","tag-ca","tag-caitlin-clark","tag-canada","tag-indiana-fever","tag-indianapolis","tag-sports","tag-wnba","tag-wnba-game"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/767513","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=767513"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/767513\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/767514"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=767513"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=767513"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=767513"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}