On Sunday, USA Today columnist Christine Brennan criticized the Atlanta Dream’s playoff attendance during Game 1 against the New York Liberty, highlighting that only 9,745 fans attended and that sections of the upper deck were closed off with curtains. She contrasted this with the fact that Atlanta’s two regular-season matchups against Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever each attracted over 17,000 fans. Brennan’s comments quickly went viral on social media, sparking backlash from both journalists and fans.
Brennan, a strong supporter of Caitlin Clark who authored the New York Times bestseller “On Her Game: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women’s Sports,” has often challenged comparisons between Angel Reese and Clark in terms of drawing power. Her social media post read: “No matter how critical I’ve been of Cathy Engelbert’s repeated & erroneous attempts to favorably compare Angel Reese to Caitlin Clark’s drawing power, this is a surprise: Curtains up because only 9,745 came to NY-ATL playoff. But two Clark regular-season games? 17,044 both times.”
This statement came shortly after the Dream defeated the Liberty 92-82 at State Farm Arena to begin the semifinals series, with standout performances from Jordin Canada (25 points) and Reese (17 points, 4 steals, 3 blocks). Reese, recently named WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, helped Atlanta win their first semifinal game since 2018. Meanwhile, Clark’s Fever were ousted in the first round by the Las Vegas Aces.
Many sports journalists openly criticized Brennan’s controversial take. Gregory Hampton Lee Jr., former NABJ president, dismissed Brennan’s post as “NOT journalism” and accused her of using it to promote her book on Clark. Tashan Reed, a Washington Commanders reporter, called the opinion a “loser take.” Several others labeled Brennan a grifter exploiting the debate for attention, such as Justin Tinsley and Keith Murphy from Andscape, who lamented her shift from respected journalism to “culture war sports grifting.”
Critics also expressed frustration that Brennan diverted attention away from the actual game and the players’ performances to focus on attendance numbers and the Reese vs. Clark rivalry. Sara Jane Gamelli from Ball Is Life urged fans to appreciate the playoffs and the league’s growth rather than entertain disparaging narratives. Podcaster and reporter Nekias Duncan echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need to celebrate Reese’s impact and Atlanta’s victory instead of fixating on attendance.
The Dream addressed the decision to curtain off the upper deck by explaining they aimed to concentrate ticket sales in the lower bowl due to the quick turnaround between games. This section accommodates about 8,800 of the arena’s roughly 17,000 seats, and the upper section was partially opened once those tickets sold out. Notably, the Dream played much of their 2023 home schedule at the smaller 3,500-seat Gateway Center but recently announced all 2024 home games will be held at State Farm Arena. The second game against the Liberty, scheduled for Wednesday, will again have tickets limited to the lower bowl.
Fan Take:
This debate underscores the growing pains of the WNBA as it balances star-driven narratives with broadening fan engagement. For fans, it highlights the importance of celebrating on-court achievements while fostering sustainable attendance, which is crucial for the league’s continued growth and visibility.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
