WNBA business is booming with Caitlin Clark, but so are threats to her safety

The Caitlin Clark phenomenon has been unlike most things fans have ever seen in professional sports. She's captivated the sports world in a way that is nothing short of historic.

Unfortunately, some followers have taken things too far. Michael Thomas Lewis was arrested for stalking Clark. He allegedly followed her in real life, and sent her graphic messages on social media, as ESPN has reported.

CBS News reports that Lewis said, "@Caitlin Clark22 been driving around your house three times a day... but don't call the law just yet, the public is allowed to drive by Gainbridge... aka Caitlin's Fieldhouse."

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Clark has been cognizant of her popularity in the last year or so, and hired security to keep unruly people away from her physically. She told Athlon Sports that she has a personal security guard named Steve in order to keep her out of harm's way.

Despite the negative events that have happened to her, Caitlin Clark had a record-setting season in her WNBA rookie year, breaking records on and off the court, from assist numbers to TV viewership.

With Clark and her fellow rookie Angel Reese making the league exponentially more popular, the revolution in the women's game has attracted the biggest NBA owners.

Dan Gilbert, owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, hopes to join Caitlin Clark and create a WNBA franchise in Cleveland. He believes a WNBA franchise would thrive alongside the other sports teams in the city.

According to the Mirror US, Gilbert said: "I just feel extraordinarily confident that, should a team be given to Cleveland, in part because of the city, in part because of what sports means here, in part because of the Cavs, it would immediately be a huge success."

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert sought to grow the league to 16 teams by 2028, but with the Golden State Valkyries starting up in 2025 and Portland and Toronto being awarded teams, the number could be a lot more by 2028 rolls around.

This substantial expansion of the WNBA couldn't have happened without Clark, who brought an unprecedented number of eyeballs and fans to the league last season.

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According to TalkSport, the WNBA delivered $136 million in sponsor media value during the 2024 regular season. Also, 45% of the broadcast value came from Clark's Indiana Fever games.

The 2024 WNBA Draft Class, led by Clark, drove a 571% increase in WNBA mentions across digital channels. Additionally, national TV viewership increased by 60% for ABC, 47% for CBS, and 156% for ESPN.

Since Clark joined the league after her record-breaking stint in college, the WNBA has seen a 200% increase in viewership overall. Commissioner Engelbert knows the demand from new cities is due to the new players and the product.

"I think the more people are watching the WNBA and seeing what we're growing here and seeing these players and the product on the court, the more people are interested in having it in their cities." She added: "We're not in a huge rush. We'd like to bring it in in '27 or no later than '28."

Cleveland may not get their team until 2028. However, the city was one of the original members of the WNBA, the Cleveland Rockers (1997-2003). The team folded due to financial difficulty, but with the league having a 600% increase in merchandise sales and the best attendance in 22 years, this time, it looks as though it will be a success.

The WNBA has identified several factors to guide its search for a new franchise. It looks for good practice facilities, a committed ownership group, demographics, and Fortune 500 companies. Where will the league be when Clark finishes her career?

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