WNBA sellouts up 242% after Clark
WNBA sellout games rose 242%, from 45,000 to 154,000, in Caitlin Clark's debut season.
Snapshot · PBD Podcast
FBI Wire on Newsom, Empire State Proposal & Mamdani's War on AC | PBD Podcast #827
Explore episode
Jul 3, 2026
Where this was said
Caitlin Clark's WNBA Numbers Are Undeniable — And They Still Want Her Gone
At 1:51:45 · chapter starts 1:46:20
Patrick delivers a data-driven segment on Caitlin Clark's impact on the WNBA, citing statistics across every key metric: average national TV viewership rose 186% from 462,000 to 1.32 million per game; total league attendance rose 48% to 2.35 million; sellouts increased 242% from 45,000 to 154,000; ESPN viewership rose 170%; merchandise sales jumped 600% league-wide; and League Pass subscriptions surged 366%. [1] — Patrick Bet-David "Caitlin Clark's first WNBA season produced a 186% surge in TV viewership, 600% rise in league-wide merch sales, 242% more sellouts, and a 3…" 1:50:50 Against that backdrop, media figure Emmanuel Acho argued in a viral clip that the WNBA no longer needs Clark because she's 'already done what she needed to do.' Patrick and Tom counter that the league's jealousy toward Clark stems from the fact that she drove the TV deal and salary increases that other players now benefit from, while some remain openly resentful that she's receiving the credit. A clip of player Sophie Cunningham defending Clark physically — described as a 'Bill Laimbeer' enforcer move — is shown approvingly. Patrick also notes that the WNBA's 30th-anniversary poster conspicuously omitted Clark, and that she continues to face hard fouls that go uncalled. Adam, who self-identifies as 'no fan of the WNBA,' concludes: 'Two things can be true at once. The league is useless, but she's a great player.'
Caitlin Clark's Numbers Don't Lie: She Saved the WNBA
Caitlin Clark's first WNBA season produced a 186% surge in TV viewership, 600% rise in league-wide merch sales, 242% more sellouts, and a 366% jump in League Pass subscriptions. And some players still want her gone. The numbers are the rebuttal.
WNBA viewership up 186% post-Clark
National TV viewership for WNBA games jumped from 462,000 to 1.32 million per game — a 186% rise — in just one year after Caitlin Clark entered the league.
Caitlin Clark WNBA merch up 600%
League-wide WNBA merchandise sales rose 600% in the single year after Caitlin Clark joined the league in 2023.
WNBA League Pass subscriptions up 366%
WNBA League Pass subscriptions increased 366% year-over-year following Caitlin Clark's debut season.
Similar snapshots
CrossFit athlete: top 2,000 worldwide
Thomas's wife is already ranked in the top 2,000 CrossFit athletes in the world — roughly the top 1% — and Thomas wants her to pursue the sport professionally now that he is graduating law school.
Athletes improve with mental rehearsal
Research shows athletes who mentally imagine practicing basketball or soccer have better performance than those who do not include imagination in their training.
~10 rounds dominated vs Usyk
Rico Verhoeven dominated approximately 10 of 12 rounds against undisputed heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk before a controversial post-bell stoppage.
Stopped after the bell
Rico's appeal confirmed the fight was stopped after the bell rang, and the ringside doctor found no concussion or disorientation — yet the result was never overturned.
Glory uses 5 judges vs boxing's 3
Glory Kickboxing uses 5 judges rather than boxing's 3, which Joe Rogan argues reduces the chance of a corrupt or incompetent minority swinging the result.
1 professional boxing match before Usyk
Rico Verhoeven had only one professional boxing match before fighting undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk for the WBC title.
15 years of boxing training
Despite having just one pro boxing match, Rico Verhoeven had been training boxing for 15 years alongside his kickboxing career.
6-month boxing transition camp
Rico used a full 6 months to transition from kickboxing stance to a proper boxing stance under trainer Peter Fury, calling it essential rewiring.
75+ kickboxing fights in career
Rico Verhoeven has had approximately 75 professional kickboxing fights, giving him a massive combat sports experience advantage over pure boxers.
