Nobel Laureate, Herbert A. Simon once said, “A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.” This concept of the attention economy is relevant to the WNBA today. After all, the attention economy talks about how human attention is a scarce resource in today’s times. And this largely affects sponsorships, viewerships, and the prominence of certain athletes over others. And the last part is what two American sporting veterans pointed out yesterday.

Founded in 1997, the WNBA experienced a surge in popularity once it began harnessing the attention economy. The 2024 recruiting class, especially Caitlin Clark, brought significant media exposure and helped secure a $2 million media deal. While Clark remains the focus of media coverage, attention is also beginning to shift toward Paige Bueckers. But the central issue is the difference in the amount of attention the two players receive.

On the latest episode of A Touch More podcast, WNBA veteran Sue Bird and US soccer legend Megan Rapinoe discussed why Caitlin Clark receives far more attention than players like Paige Bueckers, despite both excelling on the court. “There are people that are going to get attention in this attention economy that might not always have to do with their play on the court. But when somebody has both, I don’t get the miss there,” Bird began. “Caitlin has both – wasn’t missed. Paige has both – why are we missing it? There are other players that have both. And that’s where it’s like, because I get attention.”

It is important to understand why the spotlight shines brighter on Clark while Bueckers is devoid of it despite meeting the same criteria because there are several factors that contribute to the disparity. Besides Clark’s lucrative deals with Wilson Basketball and Nike, it is her personality and style that resonates with fans.

On top of that, her rivalry with Angel Reese creates a compelling narrative, further adding to the splurge in attention. From her pregame outfits to confrontations with referees, Clark stands out. And the so-called Caitlin Clark Effect has made the Indiana Fever guard more popular than any of the newest recruits.

So, while Paige Bueckers earned praise for her impressive 44-point game against the Sparks on August 20, Caitlin Clark continued to attract most of the attention, both online and offline. “Oh, if someone doesn’t grab your attention, I’m like, no, that argument doesn’t fly. To me, that’s used. And then that’s where I’m circling back to just using this attendance number that the 2025 season has broken,” Bird argued. “Clearly, people are paying attention. They’re spending money to go to games.” And this season’s attendance record is a testament to this.

Even when Clark was out with injuries, 577,979 fans still flocked to see her and the Indiana Fever play. Not only did the league’s viewership increase by 21% this year, but Fever’s games became more interesting without their star player’s participation. And by mid-season, they had attracted an impressive league-high average of 16,746 spectators per game. Home or away, the Fever’s has witnessed a surge of spectators since last season. Moreover, 6 teams, including the Dallas Wings, have changed or moving to new venues to accommodate the popularity.

Megan Rapinoe explained on the matter, “As long as the algorithm exists, Caitlin Clark will be talked about and then heard about. And then talked about because she’s talked about and heard about because she’s already in the ecosystem…She’s crossed the line. The algorithm loves to see her coming, right?”

When ESPN W included Bueckers’ photograph in the league’s celebration of the attendance record on August 21, it sparked debate among fans that clearly highlighted that Bueckers does not receive the same level of attention as Caitlin Clark does. Even Draymond Green questioned reasons behind adding Bueckers instead of Clark or another Fever athlete. This move further clarified the fact that Bueckers is not recognized at the same level as Clark by media or fans, thus highlighting the very gap the podcast discussed.

But this pattern of selective media focus is a common occurrence. In the formative years of the WNBA, athletes like Lisa Leslie dominated the media headlines and commanded more attention than her counterparts. Sometimes, her spotlight overshadowed other deserving talent in the league.

This uneven media attention exists even today. After all, it is heavily influenced by social media, ever-changing trends, compelling storylines and far complex factors in today’s age and time. And in this case, it is Clark’s enormous media presence that is overshadowing Bueckers’.

“It’s almost like Paige Bueckers isn’t in the algorithm enough to get promoted in the ways that the attention economy wants,” Megan Rapinoe added. “And so then it’s only going to get talked about every so often. Because I agree with her game, with her 44-point and that was like arguably one of the best, most efficient games anyone has played ever, like in all of basketball for all of time.” While Bueckers has made off-court efforts, they are largely overlooked.

Besides, social media algorithms play a crucial role in determining the kind of athlete consumption. These algorithms prioritize athletes with a larger following, more engagement rates and higher posting frequency over those with lesser engagements. Those that feature in higher numbers, with greater brand collaborations, partnerships and take more space on social media are favored more by the algorithms. Paige Bueckers’ lower algorithmic visibility compared to Caitlin Clark highlights this dynamic. While Bueckers might not grab frequent attention on social media, it was Caitlin’s latest post that took the league by storm.

Caitlin Clark makes a grave social media admission

After Indiana Fever head coach, Stephanie White admitted to talking with superstar Caitlin Clark to discuss whether the guard would step on the hardwood this season, the outcome of the conversation was disappointing for the locker room and fans alike. Besides, Clark was dejected with the result too.

The athlete shared her latest injury update on social media. Without mincing her words, Clark revealed the front office decision. “I had hoped to share a better update, but I will not be returning to play this season,” Caitlin Clark said. “I spent hours in the gym every day with the singular goal of getting back out there, disappointed isn’t a big enough word to describe how I am feeling.” With only a handful of games remaining for the Indiana Fever before the season transits into the playoffs, the team will be progressing without Clark on the floor.

Besides, Indiana Fever GM Amber Cox took to social media and penned a few words for the athlete: “Caitlin has worked so hard throughout this time, doing everything possible to recover and return to the court, but ultimately, time is not on our side,” Cox said.

“While we will continue working with Caitlin and provide her with every resource we have available, there is not enough time left in our season for her to safely return, and her long-term health and well-being remains our top priority. We are looking forward to having her back at full strength to start the 2026 season.” Cox added in the rest of her statement.

As the Indiana Fever navigates the roughest stretch before the playoffs, can they rise above the recent setback to clinch a seat in the playoffs? Standing eighth in the league with a near-even balance of 21-20 so far, and a couple of hardship signees in their belt, it will be exciting to watch the team navigate through the rest of the season.