WNBA Finals routine shows league dependence on Caitlin Clark

WNBA Finals Anthem Routine and Viewer Metrics Highlight League Dependence on Caitlin Clark

The WNBA is facing the reality of its dependence on Caitlin Clark as a bizarre pre-game routine at the WNBA Finals goes largely unnoticed by the wider sports world. Fox News reported that players and coaches from the Atlanta Dream and the Golden State Valkyries have spent the entire year running off the court before the national anthem is played, returning to the floor only after the final line is sung.

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Neither team has publicly explained the routine or detailed what participants do during those 90-some-odd seconds. Until the WNBA Finals, the practice generated virtually no public attention.

Contrast in National Media Scrutiny and Star Power

Fox News noted that if an NFL or NBA team engaged in a comparable practice during the regular season, it would immediately become a major national news story, drawing wall-to-wall pundit commentary, activist mobilization, and intense debate. In contrast, the WNBA routine remained a whisper until the championship series.

The broader visibility of the league remains tightly linked to the Indiana Fever star. Caitlin Clark brought millions of new viewers to women’s basketball, securing major endorsement deals with Nike, Gatorade, and State Farm. However, she also received just one first-place vote for WNBA MVP during a historic season, while 19 voters left her off their ballots entirely. Despite those MVP voting dynamics, when Clark is absent from the floor, the audience largely follows suit.

Scheduling Realities for Game 6

Scheduling decisions for the WNBA Finals highlighted the difference in mainstream appeal. Monday brought the announcement that a potential Game 6 will be played at 12:30 p.m. Eastern time on a Thursday.

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The venue change was requested by the Atlanta Dream to move the game from Gateway Center Arena, which has a capacity of 3,500, to State Farm Arena, which holds 17,000. Because the Atlanta Hawks are scheduled to play in the same arena that day, the matchup was slotted for a time when most Americans are at work or in school. Fox News observed that such a scheduling compromise is difficult to imagine if Clark and the Indiana Fever were involved in the championship series.

As the WNBA Finals continue with players like Golden State Valkyries star Gabby Williams and Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese headlining the championship showdown, the league continues its search to draw viewers and maintain mainstream momentum while Caitlin Clark remains its undisputed needle-mover.