“This was not something created by her,” Geno Auriemma said on the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch, a line that opened fresh debate about Caitlin Clark’s impact on the WNBA.
“Now, maybe there was a transformation in terms of how much attention is being paid. Yes. How much the league is valued? Yes. But it’s not like when Tiger [Woods] came into the PGA Tour…he won every tournament. So that’s the big difference.” — Geno Auriemma, Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch
What Geno Auriemma said
Auriemma made these remarks on the Sports Media Podcast hosted by Richard Deitsch, arguing that much of the attention surrounding Caitlin Clark was built by media and fan interest rather than created solely by the player. He invoked Tiger Woods and the PGA Tour to illustrate differences in dominance and economic effect, and the comparison framed much of the ensuing discussion.
The podcast included forceful language about reactions to fouls and incidents involving Clark. Reporting and commentary since the episode have debated whether Auriemma’s framing understates individual impact or rightly emphasizes broader forces such as broadcasting and scheduling.
Caitlin Clark’s numbers
Reporting aggregated by Fox News / Outkick attributes several concrete viewership metrics to the period since Clark’s arrival. According to that reporting, there were at least 59 WNBA telecasts that drew more than 1 million viewers after Clark joined the league, compared with a single game over 1 million viewers in the 15 years before her rookie season (a 2008 Sparks–Mercury matchup) (Fox News / Outkick).
Outkick’s reporting also notes the Indiana Fever had roughly 21 games that surpassed the 1 million-viewer threshold during Clark’s first season with the team (Fox News / Outkick). Those numbers are widely cited as evidence of a measurable viewership spike tied to Clark’s presence, though they do not prove causation.
Analysts and league observers quoted in coverage caution that multiple factors — including marketing, national broadcast windows, scheduling decisions, and interest in specific matchups or storylines — also contribute to ratings. The cited figures document a change in audience behavior; their interpretation varies among commentators.
How pay and operations changed after Clark arrived
Coverage summarized by Fox News / Outkick attributes several league-side changes to the revenue and attention shifts that coincided with Clark’s arrival. Reporters say the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiated after the most recent season increased team salary caps by nearly $6 million and raised maximum individual salaries from around $249,000 to approximately $1.4 million (Fox News / Outkick).
Outkick’s account and related reporting describe average player pay rising substantially from earlier levels and note that logistical upgrades — including charter flights for every team — were implemented as part of efforts to improve player conditions and meet operational demands tied to increased media and ticket revenue (Fox News / Outkick).
League and union officials framed these changes as part of negotiated improvements tied to new media deals, stronger ticket sales in certain markets, and the bargaining leverage players gained during talks. Independent analysts quoted in coverage emphasize that CBA outcomes result from a mix of long-term bargaining goals, revenue projections and short-term surges in interest.
Context: Alyssa Thomas incident and return rumors
The broader debate intensified after an on-court incident earlier this season in which Alyssa Thomas shoved Caitlin Clark to the floor. Reporting noted Clark had not played since that game, and there were unconfirmed rumors she might return against the Los Angeles Sparks; outlets treated those return reports as speculative at the time of coverage (Fox News / Outkick).
Coverage of the incident sparked conversations about on-court physicality, player safety, and how commentators characterize rivalries. Observers and sources interviewed in reporting urged distinguishing confirmed team injury statements from social-media speculation when assessing timelines for returns.
What comes next
Expect continued debate as the WNBA tracks TV ratings, attendance figures and the durability of revenue gains. Commentators will use the cited metrics — the 59 telecasts over 1 million viewers and the Fever’s roughly 21 such games, the reported CBA cap increases and salary maximums — to argue different narratives about individual influence versus structural change (Fox News / Outkick).
How sustainable the bump proves will depend on multiple seasons of ratings and revenue data, the return and performance of marquee players, and how the league and broadcasters schedule and market games. Auriemma’s analogy to Tiger Woods may persuade some readers about the limits of single-player comparisons; others will cite the concrete audience and pay figures as evidence of significant change.
Source attribution
This article relies on reporting and aggregation by Fox News / Outkick for the quoted figures and for the summary of Auriemma’s podcast remarks. Where direct quotes from Geno Auriemma are used, they are attributed to his appearance on the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch.
- Fox News / Outkick: Auriemma remarks and reporting on viewership, CBA and operations
- Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch — Geno Auriemma appearance (quote cited in reporting)
Frequently asked questions
What did Geno Auriemma say about Caitlin Clark?
On the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch, Auriemma said the attention around Clark was largely created by external forces and compared the situation to Tiger Woods’s arrival in golf, while stressing differences in dominance and outcomes.
Is Caitlin Clark injured and when might she return?
Reporting noted Clark had not played since the Alyssa Thomas incident; some outlets reported rumors she might return against the Los Angeles Sparks, but those reports were treated as unconfirmed at the time of coverage (Fox News / Outkick).
How did Clark affect WNBA viewership and salaries?
Outkick’s reporting cites at least 59 WNBA game telecasts above 1 million viewers since Clark joined the league and about 21 such games for the Indiana Fever in her first season. Coverage also reports team salary caps increased by nearly $6 million under the recent CBA, with maximum individual salaries rising from roughly $249,000 to about $1.4 million; charter flights for all teams have been reported as an operational upgrade (Fox News / Outkick).
