Caitlin Clark WNBA — Dan Patrick says the WNBA needs Caitlin Clark more than she needs them, warning that the league’s success hinges on her star power and media draw.
Sports media legend Dan Patrick didn’t mince words. On his latest appearance on OutKick’s Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich, he dropped a truth bomb that every WNBA executive, player, and even commissioner Kathy Engelbert should take seriously:
“The WNBA needs Caitlin Clark. Caitlin Clark does not need the WNBA.”
And honestly? He’s not wrong.
The League’s Success Hangs on One Player
Dan Patrick—yes, that Dan Patrick, the ESPN icon—has been around the sports world long enough to recognize when one athlete carries an entire league’s visibility.
The success of the WNBA right now pivots entirely around Caitlin Clark. Not Angel Reese. Not Nneka Ogwumike. Not even A’ja Wilson. Caitlin Clark is the one who fills arenas, moves merchandise, and makes networks fight for broadcast rights.
Patrick pointed out the obvious:
“Are they really going to make 300 grand? Maybe someday. But Caitlin Clark shouldn’t make 78,000 a year and then be thankful she gets 16 million off the court.”
The message? Stop acting like Clark owes the WNBA. The league owes her.
Kathy Engelbert’s “Thankful” Comment Ignites a Firestorm
Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier reportedly told people that Commissioner Kathy Engelbert said Clark should be thankful the WNBA gave her a platform to make $16 million off the court.
That comment didn’t sit well with fans—or Dan Patrick.
“The negotiations between the WNBA and players are getting dirty,” Patrick said. “And I was a little surprised Engelbert brought up Caitlin Clark in her conversation with Collier.”
Engelbert quickly denied making the remark, insisting that Caitlin has been “a transformational player” and “a great representative of the league.”
But let’s be real—when you’ve got Collier and Clark sharing the same agent, it’s hard to believe Caitlin didn’t find out about that conversation almost instantly.
Adam Silver’s “Rigged” Media Deal
Here’s where things get wild.
Patrick credited NBA Commissioner Adam Silver for essentially “rigging” the game to make sure the WNBA got its new $260 million media rights deal.
How? Simple leverage.
Silver reportedly told networks:
“If you want the NBA, you must bid on the WNBA.”
That move forced companies like NBC, ESPN, and CBS to pick up WNBA coverage—because they wanted to keep NBA rights.
And what made that deal valuable to begin with? Caitlin Clark’s games.
Almost every single Indiana Fever game this season was on national TV. Fans weren’t tuning in for “the Fever.” They were tuning in for Clark.
The Fourfold TV Jump—Because of One Player
Let’s talk numbers.
Before Clark arrived, the WNBA’s TV deal brought in about $60 million a year.
Now? Around $260 million annually. That’s a fourfold increase, and the only reason networks saw that kind of value was Caitlin Clark’s guaranteed viewership.
Every game she plays in draws near a million viewers—something unheard of for the WNBA before she arrived.
So yeah, Patrick’s right: the entire ecosystem—owners, players, sponsors, media—rides on her success.
Could Project B Change Everything?
Here’s where things get really interesting.
Patrick mentioned “Project B,” the mysterious Saudi-backed basketball league rumored to be targeting women’s stars with massive contracts—think Live Golf money levels.
Reports suggest some current WNBA players have already signed on.
If Caitlin Clark ever jumped to that league? The WNBA would collapse overnight.
Imagine her signing a $20 million deal to play 25 games—each one pulling a million viewers on NBC or USA Network.
Patrick’s take:
“The Saudis have the deepest pockets known to man. If they land Caitlin Clark, the WNBA is toast.”
And honestly? He’s not exaggerating.
ESPN, the WNBA, and “Make ESPN Great Again”
Dan couldn’t resist taking a shot at his old employer either:
“Make ESPN great again—it ain’t never going to happen, ‘cause Disney owns it.”
That’s vintage Dan Patrick—unfiltered, unapologetic, and grounded in reality.
He’s not hating on the WNBA. He’s saying what everyone in sports media already knows: the league’s growth depends entirely on keeping Caitlin Clark happy, healthy, and on American TV screens.
Final Thoughts: The WNBA’s Wake-Up Call
Caitlin Clark is the WNBA’s lifeline.
Without her, there’s no ratings boom. No record-breaking jersey sales. No $260 million TV deal.
So maybe instead of asking Clark to be “thankful,” the WNBA should start being thankful for her.
Because as Dan Patrick said it best:
“The WNBA needs Caitlin Clark. Caitlin Clark doesn’t need the WNBA.”
Also Read: Latest Trending News
