It has been nearly a month since the WNBA players union announced that their executive committee would be able to call a strike if they deem it necessary amid stalled negotiations with the league. With no real change and a lockout or strike looming, fans are starting to wonder if Caitlin Clark‘s unprecedented rise might have accidentally destroyed the WNBA itself.
X user “@DBGyt” made a rather simply post on Saturday that quickly sparked some conversation. The user offhandedly remarked that Clark might “indirectly” cause the league to end.
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“Caitlin Clark really might end up indirectly causing the WNBA to end…” the user wrote.
Fans quickly began debating what that might mean. The user, in a follow-up post, explained that the Clark-inducted viewership boom of the past two seasons has led to players asking for significantly more money than the league is willing to offer – whether they deserve the money or not.
“Viewership boom caused by her means players (rightfully) want more money than the league will give out. 2 years ago the players said the goal was to eventually get to $1 mil a year contracts Now players are calling $1.3 mil a “slap in the face),” the user wrote later.
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“People taking this as some sort of pro owner stance or saying that CC wants the league to end. The exponential increase in viewership she brought to the league has given the players leverage in negotiations. The owners still treat them like they have no leverage. Negotiations are you nowhere Stoppage = legit chance the league folds.”
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – JULY 19: Caitlin Clark #22 of Team WNBA looks to pass the ball during a WNBA All-Star Game team practice at Footprint Center on July 19, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)Alex Slitz/Getty Images
The Debate
But while the original poster clearly believes that the players are in the right, fans believe that the players have overstepped their bounds by getting greedy without realizing that Clark is the draw – not the rest of them.
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“There is truth to this. The delusional other players think it’s about them when the fans and owners only see one big marketable player, Caitlin Clark. They are willing to blow it up cause they overvalue themselves,” one user said.
“The thing I don’t understand about this whole discourse is that the WNBA is constantly at a profit loss, so with what money can their wages be boosted?” wrote another.
“Make no mistake, the revenue generated these last two seasons were made in SPITE of these players not because of them. they tried everything in their power to destroy the momentum cc herself solely created. and their delusional arrogance will be the reason it implodes. poetic,” a third wrote.
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Still others believe the owners are being too greedy, hoping to keep all of the profits off Clark’s unprecedented rise for themselves.
It won’t be an issue if the WNBA and the players manage to reach an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement. But if there is no WNBA basketball in 2026, we may be talking less about the future of pro women’s basketball and more about the mistakes of the past.
This story was originally published by The Spun on Jan 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
