Christine Brennan:
You have got people barnstorming — Caitlin is barnstorming around the country. You have got people lined up in January and February for games, the TV ratings, four million more people watching the women’s final with Caitlin Clark in South Carolina than watched the men the next night.
I mean, that’s a sentence I thought I could never utter. And here it’s all coming to the WNBA. And as that official told me, I said, do you realize how big this is? And this person said, yes, this is the biggest thing to happen to the WNBA since Maya Moore.
We heard from several people saying the players were having some tough times dealing with this, or Sheila Johnson, of course, talks about that would be hurt feelings if Caitlin Clark winning an award, but the other players not. So if the league had been more prepared — and these are not necessarily my words.
Dr. Harry Edwards, the great civil rights leader, the man who was the impetus for the Black power salute at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, and Briana Scurry, the great goalkeeper, their words in the book, I’m so appreciative that they talked to me about, you have to understand that a 74 percent Black league, and you have now got a white woman who’s becoming the biggest star they have ever had.
In our polarized society today, we can see that could be an issue. I can understand that. We all do. And so if the league, as Harry Edwards says, seminars, Zoom calls, talk to the players, explain to these wonderful players that she’s coming along after them, and that this is that opportunity, and you were there to start this process.
And that’s where the WNBA failed the players, according to Dr. Harry Edwards.
