Why Caitlin Clark's Latest Injury Is Terrible Timing For The Wnba

Last August, nan WNBA announced that Indianapolis — location of nan Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark — would big nan league’s All-Star play this play for nan first time.

Clark’s location metropolis was a logical prime for this week's star-studded festivities. During her rookie play past year, Clark had an unthinkable effect connected nan WNBA’s business, single-handedly accounting for monolithic increases successful merchandise sales, viewership and attendance.

On Thursday, however, nan WNBA’s best-laid plans for a Clark-led All-Star play officially went awry, arsenic Clark announced she would person to beryllium retired because of a left groin injury.

“I americium incredibly sad and disappointed to opportunity I can’t participate successful nan 3-Point Contest aliases nan All-Star Game,” Clark said successful a statement. “I person to remainder my body. I will still beryllium astatine Gainbridge Fieldhouse for each nan action and I’m looking guardant to helping Sandy [Brondello] coach our squad to a win.”

The wounded is nan 3rd that has caused Clark to miss clip during her sophomore season. She played successful only 13 of nan Fever’s 23 games earlier nan All-Star break because of quad and groin injuries.

It’s important not only for Clark arsenic a subordinate — anterior to this season, she had ne'er missed a crippled successful assemblage aliases successful her rookie twelvemonth — but besides for nan league. While nan WNBA has been steadily expanding successful popularity, Clark still has an outsized effect connected nan attraction she and nan convention command.

Her erstwhile injuries, for example, caused summons prices to plummet connected aggregate occasions.

Ticket prices to a June 27 crippled against nan Dallas Wings fell by 40% aft Clark was injured successful nan erstwhile game, according to Front Office Sports.

That driblet was paltry compared to Indiana's June 7 crippled against nan Chicago Sky, which has go 1 of nan league’s astir anticipated matchups acknowledgment to Clark’s rivalry pinch Angel Reese. Ticket prices for that crippled — which was moved from nan Sky’s accustomed location arena to nan larger United Center — fell by 71% aft an wounded to Clark successful May.

Her absence is besides felt successful TV ratings. In mid-June, nan nationalist assemblage for WNBA games fell by 55% while Clark was out, according to Nielsen. In nationally televised games featuring nan Fever, ratings were down 53%.

With Clark out, now it’s nan All-Star crippled that will beryllium astatine nan mercy of her absence.

Last year, nan crippled had a grounds 3.4 cardinal viewers, a 305% summation compared pinch 2023, according to nan WNBA.

Tickets for past play were besides successful precocious demand, according to StubHub, which claimed that income for nan 2024 All-Star crippled were 13 times higher than nan erstwhile 3 years. The cheapest ticket, per StubHub, was $146 connected nan Monday earlier nan game.

This year, Clark’s wounded instantly affected nan resale market.

On Wednesday, Front Office Sports reported that nan get-in value for nan All-Star crippled connected TickPick was $121. On Thursday, little than 2 hours aft Clark announced she wouldn’t play, nan get-in value connected TickPick fell to $72 — a 40% decrease.

The afloat effect of Clark’s wounded connected All-Star play won’t beryllium known until nan play wraps up. (She’s besides not nan only prima who will beryllium out, pinch Atlanta Dream defender Rhyne Howard and Phoenix Mercury guardant Satou Sabally dealing pinch injuries. Reese's readiness is successful mobility aft she missed Wednesday's game pinch a limb injury.)

But arsenic nan convention has observed aggregate times this season, Clark's absence tin beryllium arsenic important arsenic her presence.