The WNBA is facing its most sobering moment in recent years as the league’s biggest star, Caitlin Clark, has been ruled out for at least two weeks with a left quad strain. Her absence has triggered an immediate and dramatic response across the league, from plummeting ticket prices to shrinking TV ratings. More than just a player, Clark has proven herself to be the engine of the WNBA’s recent surge in popularity. Now, with her sidelined, the league is being forced to reckon with just how much of its momentum rests on her shoulders.

When Clark was drafted by the Indiana Fever, expectations were sky-high. She was already a household name due to her record-breaking college career at Iowa, and her transition to the WNBA was seen as a new era for women’s basketball. And for a while, the hype was justified—attendance soared, merchandise flew off the shelves, and broadcast ratings hit numbers the league hadn’t seen in years. Clark brought in casual fans, diehards, and even international viewers who wouldn’t normally tune into a WNBA game.

But now, with just a two-week absence announced, the fallout has been unprecedented. Ticket prices for upcoming Fever games dropped by over 40% overnight. One marquee matchup between the Fever and the Chicago Sky saw its ticket price fall from $86 to $25 within 24 hours. Thousands of fans began cancelling travel plans, requesting refunds, and dumping tickets online at a loss. The United Center, where that game was relocated in anticipation of a massive crowd, now risks being half-empty.

Other teams are also feeling the effects. The Washington Mystics, who moved their game against Indiana to a larger arena in Baltimore to accommodate the expected surge in fans, saw ticket prices crash by nearly 50% after the injury announcement. The market spoke loud and clear: without Caitlin Clark, interest drops off a cliff.

Even more telling are the TV numbers. Of the 23 WNBA games this season that surpassed 1 million viewers, 20 of them featured Clark. Without her, the average viewership dips below 400,000. This gap reveals a truth that many in the league were hesitant to admit—Clark isn’t just another star. She is the star, and she alone is responsible for a large portion of the league’s attention and revenue.

While other young players like Angel Reese have been promoted as stars, their ability to draw the same audience simply isn’t there. Reese, despite her college success and large social media following, hasn’t been able to generate similar spikes in ticket sales or TV interest. Her games alone don’t command a premium, and arenas aren’t being expanded to fit demand when she’s playing without Clark on the court.

For the Fever, the pressure is immense. Without Clark, their offense loses its centerpiece. Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston must step up, but replicating Clark’s scoring, passing, and floor spacing is no easy task. Head coach Stephanie White now faces the challenge of keeping the team afloat in a hyper-competitive league while reshaping their entire game plan.

The WNBA now finds itself in a precarious position. For months, it enjoyed a renaissance built around the presence and performance of a single rookie. But that success, while remarkable, may have been built on a fragile foundation. With Clark gone, even temporarily, the league’s viewership, attendance, and energy have taken a visible hit.

Clark’s injury offers a harsh but important lesson: no league should rely so heavily on one individual to carry its entire brand. Still, the silver lining may be that her value is now indisputable. When she returns, expect even greater appreciation from fans and broadcasters alike. Until then, the WNBA must prove it can still deliver compelling basketball—and attract viewers—without its brightest star lighting up the court.

Let’s all wish Caitlin Clark a speedy recovery. The game isn’t the same without her.