WNBA Faces Backlash Over Caitlin Clark's 2026 TV Schedule
The WNBA sent a clear message with its 2026 TV schedule on Wednesday: Caitlin Clark is the biggest star in the league.
Clark, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, and her team, the Indiana Fever, will be playing on national TV every game of the season. The Fever made WNBA TV history with their 2026 schedule.
All 44 of the Indiana Fever's regular season games will air on national TV. They have more WNBA regular season national TV games than everyone else.
WNBA teams with most national TV games in 2026
- Fever - 44
- Wings - 36
- Liberty - 35
- Aces -33
- Sparks 31
But not everyone is happy with that.
Some have accused the league of showing bias toward Clark, who is white, over some of the league's other top players, who are Black.
WNBA writer calls out league for Clark's schedule
Matthew A. Cherry, a journalist with more than 200,000 followers, publicly called out the league on X on Wednesday.
"Wild how they show you what they prioritize right there in plain view," he wrote, very much implying that the league is prioritizing its white stars.
But the TV ratings do not lie. Clark is the league's most valuable asset - and it is not particularly close.
"TV networks prioritize viewership, news at 11," WNBA writer Robin Lundberg replied.
"The team that everybody tunes in to watch? Smart business sense IMO," one fan added.
"Yes, they prioritize ratings over culture wars. A team with three of the top all stars in the league. Oh, and Caitlin Clark is the face of the league," another shared.
The 2026 WNBA season will begin next month.
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This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 5:45 PM.