"Paige Bueckers cannot sell out a 7,000-seat arena": Christine Brennan highlights gap between Caitlin Clark and Wings rookie

Christine Brennan, a USA Today sports columnist, started to work on a book about Caitlin Clark last year. Early in July, “On Her Game: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women’s Sports” came out. A fan called out Brennan for not putting the same limelight on rookie sensation Paige Bueckers.

Steve Marchand, a former mayor of Portsmouth in New Hampshire, defended Brennan. He said that the sports writer wrote about the Indiana Fever guard because “people want to talk about Clark.”

Christine Brennan doubled down on that response:

“We know CC [Clark] draws record crowds in Indy (17K+) and games are moved to big arenas only for her in 2024 and 2025.

“Paige Bueckers cannot sell out a 7,000-seat arena in Dallas.

“In this way, CC and PB [Bueckers] are in different solar systems.

Four teams changed venues last year to accommodate the fans’ demand to watch Caitlin Clark. This year, two more teams were added to the list, including Paige Bueckers’ Dallas Wings. From the College Park Center, the Wings hosted the Fever in late June at the American Airlines Center, where 20,409 fans trooped to the arena.

According to Across the Timeline, the Wings average 7,401 fans for every home game. By moving the game to the Dallas Mavericks’ home floor, Clark helped the Wings to their most-watched home game of the season.

The average attendance for every Fever game, at home and on the road, is 16,438.49, the best in the WNBA by a wide margin. Paige Bueckers and Co. average 9,340.63, 11th in the league.

The numbers back Christine Brennan’s reason for writing a book about Clark while foregoing the same project for Bueckers.

Caitlin Clark beat Paige Bueckers in their only encounter this season

Caitlin Clark’s muscle injuries have limited her to just 13 games this season. Clark was unavailable in late June when the Fever visited American Airlines Center in front of 20,409 fans. Still, visitors beat the hosts 94-86 despite Paige Bueckers’ 27 points and six assists.

Roughly two weeks later, the fans finally saw the first Clark-Bueckers clash in the WNBA. The Fever point guard contributed 14 points, 13 assists, five steals and three rebounds to help her team to a dominating 102-83 win. Bueckers ended the night with 21 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals.

After meeting four times this season, the next Clark-Bueckers showdown will not happen again until 2026.

About the author

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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Edited by Michael Macasero