Stephen A. Smith Delivers a Compelling Counterargument to Dawn Staley on Caitlin Clark’s Team USA Exclusion
The game against Japan had the lowest attendanceStephen A. Smith Delivers a Compelling Counterargument to Dawn Staley on Caitlin Clark’s Team USA Exclusion
The USA women’s basketball team kicked off their 2024 Olympic journey with an impressive 102-76 victory over Japan. Despite their dominant performance, the game was marred by unexpectedly low attendance, drawing the smallest crowd among the opening women’s basketball games at the Paris Olympics.
This attendance issue has drawn criticism from NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith, who questioned the decision of the selection committee to leave Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese off the roster.
On his talk show, Smith pointed out that the game against Japan had the lowest turnout among the initial women’s basketball games, suggesting that the presence of high-profile players like Clark and Reese could have attracted more fans.
Smith’s Argument
Smith emphasized that Caitlin Clark has been pivotal in increasing interest in women’s basketball, both during her college career with the Iowa Hawkeyes and now in the WNBA.
He argued that star players like Clark and Reese not only bring exceptional skill but also significant viewership, which could have helped fill the arena. Smith presented data showing the large audiences Clark attracts, underscoring his point that star athletes play a crucial role in drawing fans to the games.
“Team USA’s win over Japan only drew 13,040 fans, which was the lowest attendance among the opening six matchups in group play,” Smith stated.
“The Serbia vs. Puerto Rico game was the second least-attended game with 15,324 fans in attendance. Four of the six opening games drew over 20,000 fans. This raises questions about whether the inclusion of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese could have packed the stands for Team USA.”
Smith also noted that this year’s WNBA All-Star Game set a record with 3.4 million viewers, an increase of over 300% from the 2023 game. Additionally, the top 12 WNBA broadcasts this season have all featured the Fever, and the Fever lead the WNBA in attendance, averaging over 16,000 fans per game—over 4,000 more than the next closest team.
