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“The Most Popular Athlete in America”: WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert on Caitlin Clark’s Transformative Impact 1 May 4, 2025; Iowa City, IA, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) in action against the Brazil National Team at Carver-Haweye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

'The Most Popular Athlete in America': WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert on Caitlin Clark’s Transformative Impact

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Grant Afseth | Last updated May 15, 2025 10:00 PM ET

As the WNBA embarks on its historic 44-game 2025 season, commissioner Cathy Engelbert isn’t mincing words regarding the league’s biggest star.

During a recent appearance on The Bill Simmons Podcast, Engelbert called Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark “the most popular athlete in America” and credited her with sparking a cultural and commercial shift unlike anything the league has seen.

“Caitlin brought tens of millions of new viewers into the W,” Engelbert said. “There’s no denying that impact—not just in the WNBA, but the world of sports. Adam [Silver] and I talk all the time about this. She’s the most popular athlete in America.”

Since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2024, Clark has become the centerpiece of the WNBA’s meteoric rise in exposure and engagement. Her rookie season was electric: 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game, a fourth-place MVP finish, and a First Team All-WNBA selection. She led Indiana to the playoffs and helped set new viewership records, including a staggering 2.5 million cable viewers for a first-round game against the Connecticut Sun.

Now in her sophomore season, the Caitlin Clark Effect is front and center again, with 41 of the Fever’s 44 games scheduled for national television, a new record in the longest season in league history.

National Stage Set for Indiana Fever, Caitlin Clark

The 2025 campaign tips off Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on ABC, with Clark and the Fever hosting Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky in what’s expected to be a ratings juggernaut. The Clark-Reese rivalry, dating back to their college matchups in the 2023 NCAA championship and beyond, has already fueled fan interest and media coverage heading into the season.

Clark’s widespread appeal—from hardcore basketball fans to casual viewers—has forced the league to navigate a difficult but welcome dilemma: how to maximize her popularity while elevating the league’s full roster of talent.

While Engelbert acknowledges Clark’s singular star power, she emphasizes that the league’s long-term success hinges on a broader base of support.

“It is a balance, but she’s a generational talent,” Engelbert said. “No league is ever about one player. … You want to balance making sure that you’re also promoting your other stars like an A’ja Wilson, like a Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier. That’s why this year is ‘sustain and gain’: Sustain the momentum we had last year and gain even more new viewers.”

The emphasis on equilibrium comes when other WNBA stars are poised for major storylines. Wilson enters the year looking to defend her MVP crown and Las Vegas’ title defense. Collier is coming off a Defensive Player of the Year campaign, leading the Minnesota Lynx to the 2024 Finals. Stewart returns to a loaded New York Liberty roster seeking redemption after last season’s championship loss.

WNBA General Managers Vote for Caitlin Clark

“The Most Popular Athlete in America”: WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert on Caitlin Clark’s Transformative Impact 2 May 4, 2025; Iowa City, IA, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) in action against the Brazil National Team at Carver-Haweye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

WNBA general managers have taken note of the competitive landscape. In a preseason survey, Napheesa Collier edged out Clark as the MVP favorite, though Clark was the top vote-getter when asked which player they’d want to build a franchise around.

The 2025 season represents a pivotal chapter for the WNBA—a moment when momentum, visibility, and star power converge. Engelbert’s comments highlight the league’s appreciation for Clark’s generational pull and its strategic priority of uplifting its entire ecosystem.

With record television exposure, marquee rivalries, and a growing national footprint, the WNBA’s challenge now isn’t generating interest—it’s sustaining and distributing it.

This article first appeared on Hardwood Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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