The hint was dropped by Clark, by early elimination in the playoffs....that she is likely going to 'quit' the WNBA....and leave for Europe to play in one of the women's leagues there.
What happens to the Indiana Heat? The team goes back to a last-place team in the WNBA.
What happens to Clark's new team (whoever it is)? They will move from a small arena operation....to a sports arena able to handle 15,000-plus fans. Suddenly TV interest matters.
What happens to the WNBA? I'd say that they slip back to old viewership numbers and arenas mostly half-full.
What happens to the TV contract that the WNBA and Disney/ABC/Amazon signed? Well....it's supposed to pay $200-million per season (3 times the former profit). I'm guessing here that the TV folks will ask for a meeting with WNBA officials by the end of 2025 season (without Clark) and ask for new deal....gutting the $200-million a year by half.
This will infuriate the WNBA and there's likely to be a crew sent to Europe....to entice Clark to come 'home'.
But let's play this out....by the end of the European season and massive interest gearing up for women's basketball....there's likely to be live TV coverage of the league, and some hyped-up offers. Somewhere in this mix....I see a US sports TV company showing up and offering the European league some TV deal....then suddenly you have the Euro league having better nightly coverage, than the WNBA games.
The WNBA....in chaos by the end of the 2026 season? Yeah, that's my prediction. I also think Disney/ABC/Amazon's deal will be crippled by this point.
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