Yesterday, I posted a video where we discussed Kathy Engelbert’s refusal to give Caitlyn Clark the credit she deserves. Engelbert seems more interested in spreading the praise among rookies, despite the obvious impact Caitlyn Clark has had on WNBA ratings and attendance. Once again, it’s clear: this is about Caitlyn Clark. Period.

Now, we’ve got the stats to back it up, and they’re not flattering for certain WNBA figures, especially Sheryl Reeve. Reeve, who seems to have a personal vendetta against Clark, left her off the Olympic team and had plenty of negative things to say about her before the season started. Now, she’s trying to backtrack. But guess what? We’re not letting that slide.

Let’s dive into the WNBA playoff ratings and attendance numbers without Caitlyn Clark. The one thing I see online is this argument that “real WNBA fans” support the league no matter what. Well, here’s the truth: people are pulling for Caitlyn Clark and the Indiana Fever. That’s it. And let me speak for every one of those fans when I say, I’m going to watch what makes me happy. Caitlyn Clark makes me happy. I don’t care about any other team in this league, and I’m not apologizing for it. That’s the essence of being a consumer—you spend your time on what you value.

This nonsense about having to support the league regardless is exhausting. If you were one of the original WNBA fans, great! But guess what? The four times the number of fans now watching don’t care what you were doing before Caitlyn Clark showed up.

Let’s get to the numbers. The New York Liberty defeated the Las Vegas Aces in the first game of the best-of-five series, and the Sun beat the Lynx. These were supposed to be the most highly anticipated matchups of the season, but the results? Disappointing. The Liberty vs. Aces game drew 929,000 viewers on ABC—a decent number for the WNBA, but nearly 50% lower than last Sunday’s game when Caitlyn Clark played. The Sun vs. Lynx game brought in only 650,000 viewers on ESPN. Ouch.

Even worse, they can’t fill the seats. The Sun matchup had just 8,500 fans in attendance, fewer than 50% of Target Center’s capacity in Minneapolis. For comparison, Caitlyn Clark sold that arena out twice. The Liberty vs. Aces game at Barclays Center did better but still didn’t sell out—14,015 fans, barely 75% of the arena’s capacity.

What’s even more telling is that Caitlyn Clark and the Fever managed to draw nearly two million viewers the week before, while going head-to-head with the NFL. That game brought in 2.54 million viewers. Meanwhile, without her, last Sunday’s WNBA playoff game only attracted 1.84 million. Spot the difference? Yeah, I do.

Some WNBA fans are crying racism over Clark’s success and the way the league treats her, but it’s time to face facts. Clark is carrying the WNBA on her back, and the commissioner, Kathy Engelbert, and some players refuse to acknowledge it.

Now, there’s even talk about flagrant fouls not being called, and how the physicality of the game is driving viewers away. Physicality was great back in the day—anyone remember Pacers vs. Knicks in the ‘90s? But that was entertaining. The current WNBA physicality doesn’t have the same appeal.

The biggest takeaway here isn’t just the drop in viewership, but the plummeting attendance, which directly impacts gate revenue. Caitlyn Clark was a huge draw, and without her, the WNBA is struggling. It’s time the league recognizes that.

I’ve seen the comments from long-time WNBA fans—the so-called “real fans”—claiming newer fans aren’t as dedicated. Well, I’m a fan of Caitlyn Clark and the Indiana Fever, and I’m not apologizing for that. As soon as Clark’s game ended last week, I went right back to watching commercial-free NFL football.