Rebecca Lobo calls on WNBA players to ride Caitlin Clark hype to new media deal, chartered flights
There’s no doubt that WNBA players will be anxious to show what they can do against Iowa star Caitlin Clark. The expected No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming WNBA draft has received unprecedented attention during her college career, and current pros will want to prove that they can slow her down and compete with her.
ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo understands where WNBA players are coming from in that sense, but she also warned that they must be careful to not do too much and play dirty against Caitlin Clark, which could lead to an injury.
The WNBA media rights deal comes to an end in 2025, and Lobo believes the next deal could be huge for the league with Caitlin Clark on board.
“What I hope WNBA players understand is that yes, they should get up in Caitlin Clark. They should do everything they can to slow her down,” Rebecca Lobo said Thursday on First Take. “But they need to not do it in any kind of a dirty way. The WNBA players have been talking for years about how they want chartered flights. They’ve been talking for years about how they want to increase their salaries. Both fair arguments. What is going to drive both of those things is the new TV deal. The new media rights deal. And who is going to drive that? Caitlin Clark.”
Caitlin Clark and Iowa have been breaking TV ratings records all year. Most recently, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against West Virginia, 4.9 million viewers tuned in, making it the most-viewed women’s NCAA Tournament game ever, not counting Final Four or national championship games.
There are sure to be a number of fans who continue to follow Clark at the next level as she takes her talents to the WNBA.
“Caitlin Clark is the one that can get those players, more than anyone else we’ve ever seen, their chartered flights. She, more than anyone else we’ve ever seen, can get them higher salaries,” Lobo said. “So yes, should players be as competitive as possible to try to shut her down? Absolutely. I hope they are smart enough to not cross a line, because she really is the meal ticket for all the other players in the league.”
There are a ton of talented WNBA players that don’t get the attention they deserve, according to Lobo. She believes Clark is capable of changing that.
“This is a league that the talent level is incredibly high. The level of play has been incredibly high. It just hasn’t had enough eyeballs on it. And more than anything, that’s what she brings,” Lobo said. “She brings the eyeballs, she brings the ticket sales, and now everyone says, ‘Wow, A’Ja Wilson can really play. Breanna Stewart can really play. Jewell Lloyd can really play. But she’s that force that’s going to bring the eyeballs to the game.”