” Racism “, ” death threats “… A few days ago, Angel Reese dwelt on the dark side of his rivalry with Caitlin ClarkA rivalry which, despite the mutual respect between the two young women, seems to have taken a turn beyond the purely sporting issue.
This paradigm shift does not seem to surprise the head of the women's championship, Cathy Engelbert, according to whom the WNBA is now located ” at the intersection of culture, sports, fashion and music. WNBA players are considered cultural icons. »
” And when you have that, you have a lot of attention on you. There is no more apathy. Everybody feels concerned. “, continues the “commissioner” during her appearance on CNBC.
The public is asking for more
She compares the moment to the one the NBA experienced in 1979, when Magic Johnson and Larry Bird arrived in the Major League.
Two men who had just faced off in the 1979 NCAA Tournament final, sparking one of the sport's greatest rivalries. And boosting the NBA's popularity, before Michael Jordan came along.
” When these two rookies came from a big college rivalry, one white, one black… So we live this moment with these two “, judges Cathy Engelbert, who had already used This comparison last spring.
The manager believes that sport thrives on this kind of opposition. That's what makes people watch. They want to see important games between rivals. They don't want everyone to be nice to everyone else. “, continues the leader, who can rely on the audience figures to validate her reasoning: the third duel between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese came close to the WNBA record dating from the 2001 season.
A comparison validated by Magic Johnson
Cathy Engelbert is not the only one to have made this comparison between the two sequences. Magic Johnson himself had recalled, last June on X/Twitterthat he and Larry Bird, and by extension the Lakers and Celtics, had helped generate attention, sign bigger TV contracts, and consequently ” increase players' salaries “.
” Caitlin and Angel are doing the same thing today, selling out shows and increasing audiences. They have taken women's basketball by storm, and with TV contracts expiring on the horizon, the WNBA is now in a position to negotiate bigger TV deals and raise salaries for all of its talented players. ” predicted the former playmaker.
As for the unflattering side that can accompany the phenomenon, with what can be said on social networks, Cathy Engelbert repeats it to her players: ” If someone you wouldn't ask for their opinion types something, ignore them. It's a balance. But certainly from a marketing perspective, corporate partners are committing to supporting these players much more than they were five years ago. »
