Caitlin Clark’s entrance into the WNBA brings to the forefront the mainstream media’s historical neglect and highlights the need for greater recognition of women’s basketball.
As a newcomer in the WNBA, Caitlin Clark has burst onto the scene, leaving the male-dominated sports media in a state of catch-up.
This sudden shift can be perceived as neglect, as mainstream sports platforms have consistently overlooked women’s basketball, particularly the WNBA.
Rather than acknowledging these past failings, several male commentators have inserted themselves into discussions about the league, trying to counter what they perceive as ignorance and negativity, yet displaying their own lack of understanding and dismissing valid criticism.
Was the League Inactive Before Clark’s Arrival?
After Chennedy Carter’s foul on Clark last weekend, ESPN host Pat McAfee referred to Clark as the “White b*tch for the Indiana team,” while arguing that she alone was responsible for the WNBA’s newfound popularity.
McAfee later apologized for his language but maintained that Clark’s star power had reinvigorated the league.
“I was highlighting how I hoped the WNBA and sports media, including former WNBA players, would show more respect to Caitlin Clark for her contributions to the league,” McAfee stated on his show.
Clark has become a focal point for male sportscasters in a league largely built by Black and LGBTQ athletes, who have often been sidelined by mainstream media. For instance, Charles Barkley recently described women as “petty” for their criticism of Clark.
“You should be grateful to that girl for securing private charters, the financial boost, and the visibility she brings to the WNBA,” Barkley said on TNT’s ‘Inside the NBA.’
‘WNBA Experts’ Emerge with Clark’s Arrival
Journalist Victoria Uwumarogie addressed this issue, noting that “Barkley’s expectations for men vastly differ from those he has for women, mirroring the attitudes of many men who suddenly see themselves as WNBA experts now that Clark is in the league.”
Clark is now “competing against women who have been fighting for recognition for years, including seasoned players and champions who were establishing the league’s reputation long before she arrived,” Uwumarogie wrote.
Basketball analyst Monica McNutt pointed this out on ESPN’s “First Take.”
“There are many layers to this conversation,” McNutt said, countering two male co-hosts who attempted to interrupt her.
“The prevailing sentiment among newcomers to the WNBA and followers of women’s sports is unfair to the women of this league … who have laid the foundation for Caitlin Clark to come in and elevate it to new heights.”
However, host Stephen A. Smith retorted, “Who talks about the WNBA … who talks about women’s sports more than ‘First Take?’”
McNutt responded, “Stephen A., with all due respect, with your platform, you could have been promoting this three years ago if you had wanted to.”