You're bored, and you want to convince your WNBA-loving friend that the league is a disaster.
asserted
league → want → friend
So you put together a list.
asserted
you → put → list
You write down how the league's most popular player, Caitlin Clark, had her throat pushed in by Alyssa Thomas, but needed NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to step in and get Thomas suspended.
asserted
Thomas → write → Thomas
You add how Caitlin is constantly left out of marketing campaigns, and was voted the 11th best guard in the WNBA by her peers.
asserted
Caitlin → add → peers
You throw in how the league's leaders still can't define what a woman is despite having a meeting on the subject.
asserted
woman → throw → subject
You jot down that teams regularly ban media (see: OutKick) they suspect will ask unflattering questions.
asserted
they → jot → questions
You conclude with commissioner Cathy Engelbert once dismissing a fair question about her future by saying "I wonder whether you would ask that of a man," then note that she will retire after 2026.
asserted
she → conclude → 2026
You give the list to your buddy.
asserted
You → give → buddy
He just smiles.
asserted
He → smile → ?
Check the TV ratings and attendance figures, he says.
Shoot.
asserted
he → check → ratings
He might just have you.
uncertain
He → have → you
Folks can complain about the WNBA being a circus all they want, but circuses tend to draw a lot of people into the tent.
asserted
circuses → complain → tent
One could argue that the league has done a number on its reputation, but you can't argue with the number of eyeballs watching its teams.
uncertain
you → argue → teams
The WNBA averaged a record 1.37 million viewers across the ESPN networks during this regular season, which marked a 17% increase from last year.
asserted
which → average → increase
NBC and CBS also averaged at least one million viewers for their WNBA packages in 2026.
asserted
NBC → average → 2026
And it's not just the broadcasts luring in fans.
asserted
it → lure → fans
The league drew a record 3.79 million live attendees across 330 games, which is a 20.5% increase from last season.
asserted
which → draw → season
Yes, the two expansion teams inflated these numbers, but the average WNBA attendance of 11,474 was still a 5% increase from last regular season.
asserted
attendance → inflate → season
How much of this is cash cow Caitlin Clark being healthy after missing most of last season?
asserted
being → miss → season
That certainly helps, but this goes beyond CC.
asserted
this → help → CC
Games not involving the Fever averaged 984,000 viewers this regular season — up 24% from last year.
asserted
Games → involve → viewers
You can't tell me that isn't significant.
asserted
that → tell → me
You can't look at those numbers and say the WNBA is self-destructing.
asserted
WNBA → look → numbers
Perhaps one could argue that viewership and attendance would be even higher if smarter leadership kept the controversies at bay.
uncertain
leadership → argue → bay
As much as tradition and physical excellence drive sports viewership, drama is every bit as crucial.
asserted
drama → drive → viewership
And whether it's the players' contempt for Clark, Sophie Cunningham's pointing meme, or the league's genuflection to trans activists —theater has the WNBA in the news every day.
asserted
theater → point → news
I once described it as half basketball, half WWE.
asserted
I → describe → basketball
My dad corrected me on that — it's half basketball, half Real Housewives of Hoop.
asserted
it → correct → Hoop
When Clark barks at refs, or yells at White, or gets chewed out by Fever assistant coach Briann January — we don't turn away.
asserted
we → bark → January
Fans condemn players such as Thomas or Chennedy Carter or Mabrey for malicious fouls on Caitlin, but they don't skip the next game.
asserted
they → condemn → game
Natasha Cloud losing her mind on Enes Kanter for wearing a shirt with the definition of a woman on it?
asserted
Cloud → lose → it
Coach after coach giving pro trans answers when asked about the separation of biological men and women?
asserted
Coach → give → men
But while fans roll their eyes one second, they glue them to the TV the next.
asserted
they → roll → TV
I'll admit I'm as guilty as anyone.
asserted
I → admit → anyone
In addition to everything above, the WNBA's cowardice in banning media makes me want to stage a personal boycott.
asserted
me → ban → boycott
And yet, when the Fever start their playoff series against the Aces Sunday, I'll be as invested in that as any NFL game.
asserted
I → start → game
There's a lot of talk about how the actions of players, coaches and leaders prevent the WNBA from being taken seriously.
asserted
actions → be → WNBA
But part of me wonders if most of them even care about being taken seriously.
asserted
most → wonder → them
They have their money.
asserted
They → have → money
They have their eyeballs.
asserted
They → have → eyeballs
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
