Opinion: Women changing the game

Interest in Women’s Basketball has risen greatly in the year 2024. But why is that?

Ratings in the past for women’s basketball have been low. The WNBA only has 12 franchises, with Toronto Golden State expansion coming soon.

As the Women’s NCAA tournament wrapped up, the University of South Carolina emerged victorious.

But let’s remember the exceptional talent of this 2024 recruiting class. Players like Cameron Brink, Kamilla Cardoso, Nika Mühl, and Clark shine, showcasing the depth of female talent in the sport alongside many more

The WNBA Draft took place on April 16th hosted at The Barclay Center in New York. The draft had record-breaking viewership with 2.45 million people tuning in.

This is the Caitlin Clark effect.

Clark transformed women’s college basketball. In 2024, she became the all-time women’s NCAA Division I scoring leader and passed LSU Pete Maravich for most career points in Division I history for men and women.

Her inspiration has drastically increased ticket sales to see her play and the viewership of the sport.

This inspiration flourished for the whole sport and now women’s basketball is the hottest thing.

Varsity Basketball Player from Jericho High School Ryan S. said, “I think [the rise in popularity of WNBA] has had a big impact on the game as we see Clark, Angel Reese, and Cameron Brink in their college days. It brought a lot of attention to the March Madness Tournament. And now we see as they migrated to the WNBA they are now flying private planes and gaining new amenities, which is great to see.”

According to the Harvard Business Review, affirmation gives the person the confidence to step outside their comfort zone and experiment with unfamiliar behaviors. As women’s basketball continues to become more popular, this is giving opportunities for all women in sports to take a bigger role and get recognized.

Students enjoy that women’s basketball is increasing the sport’s popularity. Varsity Basketball Junior at Tenafly High School Juliet S. said, “I look up to Caitlin Clark. Clark has single-handedly elevated the industry for females in sports. Caitlin Clark’s three-point range and passing skills are on a different level but her basketball IQ is something that you can’t teach; that is why she is so great.”

The WNBA season began on Tuesday and we are so excited to see the increased viewership and love for this amazing sport and to see Clark prosper on the Indiana Fever.