Caitlin Clark, recently named Time Magazine’s Athlete of the Year for 2024, was notably absent from their annual list of The 100 Most Influential People, revealed this week.
While Time recognized several athletes in its influential figures compilation, including WNBA players Breanna Stewart and Naphisa Collier – both co-founders of the new “Unrivaled” women’s basketball league – Clark’s omission sparked considerable debate. The list also included U.S. gymnast Simone Biles, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (Super Bowl LIX MVP), and French swimmer Leon Marchand, an Olympic gold medalist.
Sports commentator Colin Cowherd voiced strong disagreement with the decision, stating, “That’s idiotic! That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen!” He continued, “That’s a dumb list… she’s the most influential athlete, I would argue, man or woman in America over the last year.” The sentiment was echoed widely on social media. One fan wrote, “Clark is the main reason the league is so popular and she’s not on the list?” Another exclaimed, “How…HOW is she left off this list[?]”
Clark’s impact has been undeniable, significantly boosting the profile of women’s basketball. Consider these statistics:
* She propelled the Indiana Fever to become the most-watched WNBA team this season; 14 of the league’s most-viewed games featured the Fever.
* Clark secured a record number of All-Star votes in WNBA history.
* A regular-season game against the Minnesota Lynx drew an audience of 1.26 million, outperforming a simultaneous Friday night NFL matchup between the Eagles and Packers.
* Her first playoff game against the Connecticut Sun attracted a league-record 1.84 million viewers, despite competing with an NFL Sunday broadcast. Game 2 followed up with another record-breaking audience of 2.54 million.
* A regular season finale at Capital One Arena drew a crowd of 20,711 – the highest attendance for a WNBA game ever.
However, Clark’s departure from the court has coincided with a downturn in viewership. The first game between the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty, a rematch of last year’s finals, garnered only 929,000 viewers—a stark 50% decrease compared to the Fever’s Game 1 against the Sun.
The decline extends beyond the professional level. Following Clark’s absence from this year’s NCAA tournament – after she led a women’s championship game that outdrew the men’s final in 2024—ratings have fallen sharply. ESPN broadcasts of UConn vs. UCLA and South Carolina vs. Texas averaged just 3.9 million viewers, representing a 64% drop from last year’s record-breaking 10.8 million viewership.
The noticeable shift in audience figures highlights the substantial influence Clark has on women’s basketball, both professionally and at the collegiate level.
