"That's Michael Jordan leaving the NBA" - Colin Cowherd underscores Caitlin Clark’s value to WNBA, compares her to Allen Iverson and Tiger Woods

Caitlin Clark has not played since the Indiana Fever’s 90-88 loss to the New York Liberty on May 24. The superstar point guard was expected to miss at least four games in two weeks. Clark remained out for a fifth straight matchup when the Fever went down 77-58 to the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday.

Following reports that WNBA TV ratings dropped by a staggering 55% without Clark, veteran talk show host Colin Cowherd reacted to the plummeting numbers.

“This is not Fever games just down," Herd said on his show 'The Herd' on Thursday. "This is league [TV] ratings since she got hurt, down 55%. She is essentially the sun at the beach. If she’s out, nobody else is. … 55%. You know what that is? That’s Jordan leaving the NBA. Jordan left the NBA, they lost 50% of their numbers.”

Cowherd added that former NBA player Allen Iverson and golfing great Tiger Woods were “wildly popular” in their heydays. However, he claimed they did not consistently bring in ratings, relevance and revenue like Clark. According to him, only Michael Jordan leaving the NBA to play baseball and then retiring for good were comparisons to Clark’s impact on the WNBA.

TV ratings aren’t the only crucial factor taking a hit with Caitlin Clark injured. Ticket sales and attendance have also dropped in her absence. The Indiana Fever’s rematch against the Chicago Sky on June 7 was a highly anticipated showdown.

Following Clark’s unavailability, WNBA insider Christine Brennan reported:

Christine Brennan

@cbrennansports

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The Caitlin Clark Effect — in Chicago: “Prior to the announcement that (Clark) would be sidelined for at least 2 weeks, the resale ticket price began at $393. Over the last 12 days those prices have plummeted, with tickets available for as little as $12 the morning of the game.”

According to Fever coach Stephanie White on Monday, Caitlin Clark has yet to return to playing 5-on-5 drills. Nobody will be surprised if the WNBA TV ratings and tickets continue to suffer while Clark is out.

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Fever will not rush Caitlin Clark’s return

More than just the plummeting TV ratings, the Indiana Fever are concerned with their stuttering performances without Caitlin Clark. Indiana is 2-3 while its superstar point guard played cheerleader on the sidelines.

Despite the clamor for Clark to return, the Fever are not obliging the fans. Stephanie White told reporters on Monday her team’s stance regarding the superstar guard’s potential return (via Chloe Peterson):

“It's completely different when you're just doing one-on-one workouts (then) when you're out there in five-on-five, getting up and down the floor and moving laterally. She's been allowed to do some practicing, not everything. We’re gonna be smart and we’re gonna be cautious.”

White added that they would “intentionally” work with Caitlin Clark to make her ready to play again. Regardless of TV ratings or their struggles, the Fever intend to err on the side of caution.