Last season, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert stated, “No league is ever about one player, but in this case, Caitlin (Clark) brought tens of millions of new viewers into the W. And there’s no denying that impact.” The league, on its way to becoming the nation’s fastest-growing brand, saw a 76% surge in ticket sales and 3.44 million views during the 2024 All-Star event, to name a few. These numbers further impacted the new $2.2M TV deal. Although Clark has been sidelined due to injuries this season, the league is projected to earn over $1 billion in revenue. However, the facts soon trickled into the current ongoing WNBPA-WNBA CBA discussions.

When more than 40 players met in the historic CBA talks in Indianapolis ahead of the 2025 WNBA All-Star, the result was far from promising. “The WNBA’s response to our proposals fails to address the priorities we’ve voiced. We will not stop until we achieve the transformational CBA this moment demands,” the WNBPA unveiled. It is not hidden that Clark has pushed the league’s growth. She continues to face the most physical treatment in the games, with 17% of the league’s total flagrant fouls against her last season. And so, the murmurs began.

After Clark’s Fever won the first matchup against the Chicago Sky this season, which included the point guard’s controversial flagrant foul call against the Sky’s forward Angel Reese, Dave Portnoy tweeted, “You know what’s crazy? If Caitlin Clark just woke up one morning and decided she was sick of the @WNBA s*it and decided to start her own league… she’d put the WNBA out of business in 2 years.” With the latest developments around the CBA, the fans are choosing to ride on that train as well.

The WNBA Central shared, “The WNBA and WNBAPA are approaching a season lockout, as they are very unlikely to come to a collective bargaining agreement for next season by October.” If a lockout does occur, the preseason and the new season’s start will be halted until the players, teams, and the league reach an agreement. Although lockouts have happened before, such a move around this time can aggravate several steps in the WNBA’s growth.

Firstly, there will be financial troubles for the franchises and the players involved. It will also affect Engelbert’s expansion plans for the two new incoming teams and the upcoming draft. The Executive Director of the WNBPA, Terri Carmichael Jackson, broke her silence in the wake of this grave hindsight. “The players are working diligently to achieve a transformational CBA that builds on the growth, momentum, and positive news surrounding women’s sports and the W.

“As we approach the 60-day mark, the league’s lack of urgency leaves players wondering if it is focused on making this work or just running out the clock. Fans do not want that. They are with the players in demanding a new standard for the W.” The growing buzz around the potential lockout has already sparked a wave of fan support for Caitlin Clark.

WNBA Community Comes in Support of Caitlin Clark

After the last regular season, reports pointed out that Clark faced 17% of the league’s total flagrant fouls. Still, not much has changed this season. The very first scenes of the physicality came in Indiana’s game against the Connecticut Sun, where her NCAA rival, Jacy Sheldon, and her teammate, Marina Mabrey, committed physical fouls on Clark. The point guard, as a result of the physicality, has already missed over a month due to injuries.

Adding the fact that she has increased the viewership and sales for the WNBA at every point, but the league has failed to give her protection, has finally gotten too far for the fans. “The way the WNBA players treated Caitlin demonstrates how woke they are, and I don’t care if the WNBA cancels itself,” a user wrote. The narrative of WNBA veterans being partial to Caitlin Clark has been a storyline since the point guard was not even in the league. But for the viewers, that very physicality became a reason for them not wanting to watch the WNBA games.

With the WNBA refusing the players’ proposal, the user expressed their nonchalance surrounding the league’s upcoming lockout and consequent absence. While the league is projected to earn over $1 billion in revenue this year, the players earn less than 10% of the amount. Despite the massive revenue, the W is not ready to part with the amount equally. This mindset led to several fans and followers advising Clark to continue her profession overseas. “Then they get zip and CC is off to Europe!” a person commented.

The idea of playing in Europe is not new. When Clark was snubbed from Team USA for the Paris Olympics, many came forward with requests for her to play for Italy. Of course, the Des Moines native technically comes from Italian lineage, but she clearly refused to play for anywhere but the USA. But one fan still urged, “Caitlin and all the Indiana team should go to Europe until the refs stop the thug elbows, eye poking, etc.” Another user also shared the same sentiment, commenting, “I guess I’ll watch Caitlin in the Euro league.”

Not only will the star be safe from being physically attacked, but fans feel that she might receive the right attention and respect in European circles. If a throwback to Clark’s Italian ancestry was not enough, another user brought back the idea of Clark having her own league. They wrote, “Honestly, Caitlin doesn’t need this bulls–t. Build her own league and it’ll make money.” The idea was thrown around last season itself when everyone saw Clark staying humble through the physicality. In fact, many analysts, too, believed that she could overtake the WNBA despite Unrivaled’s presence.

However, ending the season after their playoff exit in round one, Clark had already mentioned, “thank you to the many people who have supported me as I’ve been able to live my childhood dream.“ She also rejected the historic $10 million Big3 offer because she’s not in the WNBA to earn money but to grow the league she has always wanted to be in. But now, as Clark and other athletes continue to fight for their rights, only time will tell if the W complies with their wishes or she will be forced to take another break.