Zero Credit to Caitlin Clark Effect as Sue Bird Agrees to Megan Rapinoe’s Strong Women’s Sports Statement

“The fire was going. It was burning. And it was burning brighter…but Caitlin came and she poured gasoline all over that thing and just took it to another level.” That was Sue Bird, speaking about Caitlin Clark when she was named TIME’s Athlete of the Year. Giving credit where it’s due, that’s been the Seattle Storm icon. And we say that not just for her recognition of the 2024 ROTY’s effect but of those who have set the stage for years. So when the question came up again, where did Bird lean?

Being the power couple, one thing has mattered more than anything for Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird– women’s sports getting the recognition it deserves. “How can we be a part of really bringing women’s sports to where it needs to be?” they had questioned themselves when Bird was still playing, and reaching unprecedented heights every so often wasn’t still a thing in the W. So you know they have always believed in and valued the talents their fellow athletes, past or present, have held, and it hasn’t deterred as they witness new highs.

On the recent episode of CBS Mornings, Gayle King pointed out how ‘everyone’s now paying attention to women’s sports like they never have before.’ Rapinoe was eager at the sound of it. “You are exactly right,” she began. But she wasn’t going to fictionalize the impact.

“It’s money and eyeballs. We feel like the world finally caught up to women’s sports. We’ve always sort of been here. We’ve always been exciting, whether it’s World Cups or Olympics or Final Fours, but the investment is there now,” the soccer icon added, and Bird nodded along.

Well, we have seen the Storm star herself initially set the record alongside Diana Taurasi for most Olympic gold, men’s or women’s. We have seen the national team bag a record eight consecutive titles on the very stage while the USWNT rose to prominence as the most successful team internationally. On the collegiate end, Candace Parker took care of the dunks, Mississippi St. of the Cinderella run against 11-time champions, and Arike Ogunbowale of the clutch to win Notre Dame the trophy.

Bird and Rapinoe could go on and on to attest. But the point now? We are finally getting to where we need to be, and there’s a lot coming out of it. “And that allows you to grow the business at every level from front office to the fan experience to paying players to the sponsors that are like supporting the whole business.” She wasn’t wrong. The numbers prove it.

In just one year, global revenue for women’s elite sports nearly doubled—from $981 million in 2023 to a staggering $1.88 billion in 2024. Viewership? Through the roof. The 2024 Women’s Basketball Championship drew 18.9 million viewers, surpassing the men’s tournament. The 2023 Women’s World Cup final pulled in 13.21 million viewers in the UK alone.

And Rapinoe was right about the investment piece, too. Brands and sponsors are finally seeing the value in women’s sports. The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup generated $308 million in net sponsorship revenue. Meanwhile, sponsors of the LPGA saw up to a 400% return on their media investments.

So, yes, the foundation was always there. The growth was happening. But it has propelled in recent years. Even if names like Caitlin Clarks’ played a key role, Rapinoe and Bird omitted it this once.

Clark had already proven she could change the game. Her rookie season in the WNBA had sparked a surge unlike anything the league had seen. Indiana Fever games became must-see events, with home attendance skyrocketing from 4,067 in 2023 to 17,036 in 2024—a staggering 318.9% increase. That kind of growth wasn’t just a headline; it meant an additional $415,008 in revenue per game.

And it wasn’t just Indiana feeling the Caitlin Clark effect. Every team she played against saw a boost—an average attendance spike of 87.7%, with some teams doubling or even tripling their usual crowds. The Washington Mystics, for example, experienced a jaw-dropping 259.88% increase when Clark came to town.

Viewership followed the same upward trend. WNBA games on ESPN saw a 170% rise in average TV ratings, jumping from 394,000 to 1.2 million viewers per game. Meanwhile, Clark’s name was everywhere—articles about her racked up between 26,600 and 53,900 engagements each, and her Indiana Fever jersey became the best-selling item on WNBAStore.com, pushing league-wide merchandise sales to record highs.

So when she stepped onto the golf course, expectations weren’t just high—they were sky-high. And she delivered. Her presence alone brought new attention to the sport, drawing fresh eyes to women’s golf and elevating interest in female athletes across the board.

via Imago

Football wasn’t far behind in recognizing her influence. Clark soon found herself at the NFL Annual Meeting, sitting alongside Serena Williams and Eli Manning on a panel titled The Changing Face of Sports and Its Impact on the NFL. The conversation focused on flag football’s growing presence, particularly its inclusion in the 2028 Olympics.

But Clark’s role wasn’t just symbolic—her involvement carried weight. The NFL saw the power of her influence and knew she could help bring more young athletes, especially women, into the sport.

The numbers back it all up. The fans, the media, the sponsors—everyone has felt the impact of Caitlin Clark.