USA Today sports columnist Christine Brennan at an IOC press conference in Paris on July 24, 2024. Credit: Kirby Lee/USA Today Sports
By Drew Lerner on

The most predictable story in all of sports media is beginning a new chapter.

During Tuesday’s game between the Indiana Fever and Connecticut Sun, Caitlin Clark found herself in the middle of another kerfuffle, ultimately being shoved to the ground by Sun player Marina Mabrey. Watch for yourself below:

At this point, battle lines have long been drawn. The usual suspects are coming to Clark’s defense, suggesting the league’s preeminent star is being treated unfairly by her peers and the officials on the court. Others have likened Clark’s treatment to the “Jordan Rules,” suggesting that, of course, she has received special attention. She’s the best player on the floor and warrants that kind of unique treatment.

Perhaps one of Clark’s most fervent and public defenders doubled down on her stance in the aftermath of the latest drama. USA Today columnist Christine Brennan, author of the forthcoming book “On Her Game: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women’s Sports,” which is set to release next month, took direct aim at the WNBA on social media.

“The WNBA continues to fail to meet the moment. Terrible decision to allow Marina Mabrey to stay in the game. People are watching as never before. And this is what they see?” Brennan wrote in the immediate aftermath of the situation. On Wednesday, she continued to rail against the league.

“It’s going to be very interesting to see what [WNBA commissioner] Cathy Engelbert says today. This is a big moment for the WNBA. We now have data that Clark alone draws more than half the league’s TV audience. Can the W continue to allow her to receive cheap shots like Mabrey’s? We shall see,” she wrote before calling Clark “the most important audience magnet and TV and corporate draw in the history of a business.”

Brennan’s correct, at least to a point. The WNBA’s national TV audience dropped by 55% during Clark’s absence due to injury. But that figure is based on a small sample size of games compared to the league’s early-season and opening-day games, which is not a particularly favorable comparison, regardless of whether Clark is included.

It’s difficult not to notice a certain angle to Brennan’s coverage. Some have suggested she has a personal stake in highlighting controversies involving Clark to capitalize on her book. In fact, a few fellow journalists have pointed out that her coverage sometimes seems to go beyond typical sports reporting.

Clark herself backed the WNBPA’s efforts to have Brennan’s media credentials revoked after the union raised concerns about Brennan’s line of questioning related to a similar incident involving the Fever star last season.

Having an opinion about how officials handle a league’s star player is completely understandable. Just look at the discussions around LeBron James a decade ago or Michael Jordan before him. However, framing one or two incidents as something far bigger than they are can feel overstated, and in Brennan’s case, may come across as somewhat self-serving.

The way Brennan is discussing Tuesday’s incident would make it seem like Malice in the Palace 2. In reality, it’s the same thing basketball fans see every time Draymond Green steps on the floor. It’s predictable and exhausting.

Is she right to suggest that Clark is the engine propelling the league’s business forward right now? Absolutely, there’s no denying that. Does that mean Cathy Engelbert needs to issue a statement, or that the WNBA’s entire business model is being threatened by a couple chippy moments involving its star player? Far from it.

But if you only read Christine Brennan’s WNBA coverage, you might think the league is in crisis.

About Drew Lerner

Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.

View all posts by Drew Lerner