Clark is a movement, not a moment
Caitlin Clark is not a moment. She’s a movement.
Talk show host Colin Cowherd said this a few weeks ago, and it remains true. It also means it must be reflected in the coverage of Clark specifically and women’s sports in general.
Clark’s Indiana Fever No. 22 became the top- selling jersey ever on draft night of any athlete in any sport, according to licensed sportswear retailer Fanatics. ESPN provided insightful and thoughtful stories on the WNBA players selected in New York, whether at the anchor desk or in the crowd with Holly Rowe.
We can’t say the same thing about her introductory Fever news conference. Indianapolis Star columnist Gregg Doyel, accomplished and award- winning, was called on to ask Clark a question Wednesday. He then said, “Real quick, let me do this” as Doyel made a heart with his hands. What followed was beyond awkward, the subsequent exchange uncomfortable and cringe- worthy.
Clark: “You like that?”
Doyel: “I like that you are here.”
Clark: “I do that at my family after every game.”
Doyel: “Start doing it to me and we’ll get along just fine.”
I did not realize Archie Bunker worked in the media. Doyel issued an apology, calling his actions “oafish.”
Can you imagine a female reporter having that exchange with Caleb Williams on Thursday night in Chicago? Regardless of sex, athletes deserve to be treated with respect. Iowa’s championship game loss to South Carolina drew nearly 19 million viewers, most of any hoops game since 2019, eclipsing the ratings of every sport outside of football and the Olympics in that time frame.
Women’s sports are experiencing unprecedented popularity. As writer Jemele Hill explained, “it is going to finally force the sports media to grow up.”
Doyel’s exchange with Clark came a few weeks after Los Angeles Times writer Ben Bolch apologized for a preview story on the UCLA- LSU women’s hoops matchup that “failed miserably” and was derided as sexist.
I covered women’s sports extensively early in my career. We all make mistakes. But there is no arguing that women’s sports matter. And it’s time, in our coverage, we do better.
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