qq. Is This the Biggest Fumble in Sports Marketing History? Stephen A. Smith Thinks So — and the Numbers Are Hard to Ignore

In the world of professional sports, there is an old saying: “Men lie, women lie, numbers don’t.” This week, the numbers coming out of the Paris Olympics are telling a brutal story that has Stephen A. Smith taking a very loud, very public victory lap. The decision to leave Caitlin Clark off the Team USA roster has officially transitioned from a controversial roster move to what Smith is calling a catastrophic business failure.

The “Embarrassing” Reality Check

The core of the issue lies in the attendance figures. According to official reports highlighted by Smith, Team USA’s opening win over Japan drew a crowd of just 13,040 fans. In isolation, that number might seem respectable, but context is everything. That figure was the lowest attended game among the opening six matchups in group play. Even the matchup between Serbia and Puerto Rico outdrew the American powerhouse.

For a team stacked with WNBA All-Stars and legends, expected to blow out the competition and march to a gold medal, these numbers are a splash of cold water. Stephen A. Smith, who has been vocal about the “snub” since the roster was announced, didn’t mince words. He called the situation “embarrassing” and pointed out the obvious: the “Caitlin Clark Effect” was left in Indiana, and the excitement stayed there with it.

The Marketing Miss of the Century

Smith’s argument has never been solely about basketball skills; it has always been about business. He contends that the decision-makers, including coach Cheryl Reeve, made a “boneheaded business decision” by ignoring the marketing potential of the most popular female athlete on the planet.

The contrast in viewership is staggering. The Wall Street Journal has already proclaimed Clark the “GOAT of TV ratings.” Before this season, the WNBA hadn’t seen a game with over a million viewers since 2008. Since Clark’s arrival, the records have been shattered repeatedly. Her games regularly peak at over 2 million viewers. The WNBA All-Star game, featuring Clark, saw a 300% increase in viewership, hitting 3.4 million.

“Marketing matters in everything,” Smith argued. “You’re not going to get around that.” By leaving Clark off the team, Team USA didn’t just lose a point guard; they lost a gravitational force that pulls in eyeballs, sells jerseys, and fills arenas.

The “Distraction” Myth Debunked

One of the primary arguments against including Clark was that the media circus surrounding her would be a “distraction” to the team’s chemistry and their ultimate goal of winning gold. Critics argued she would steal the limelight from the veterans who had “earned” their spots.

Smith’s rebuttal to this is stinging: “Sharing the limelight would be better than having no light at all.”

The irony is palpable. The attempt to avoid a “circus” has resulted in apathy. The world isn’t watching Team USA with the intensity they could have been. Instead of capitalizing on the historic momentum of women’s basketball, the program retreated into tradition, favoring “experience” and “standard procedure” over the seismic shift happening in the sport.

Dawn Staley’s Admission

Even the decision-makers seem to be realizing the error of their ways, albeit too late. The report highlights comments from committee member Dawn Staley, who admitted that if they had to do it all over again, Clark would be in “really high consideration” because she is playing “head and shoulders above a lot of people.”

This admission contradicts the earlier narrative that Clark simply wasn’t ready. It suggests that the decision was based on a snapshot in time that failed to account for her rapid trajectory—and more importantly, failed to value the audience she brings with her.

The Financial Ripples

The failure isn’t just in ticket sales; it’s in the broader brand impact. Clark is a corporate juggernaut. Her partnerships with Nike, Gatorade, State Farm, and even luxury brands like Prada drive massive engagement numbers. When Glossier posted a video of Clark, views spiked 71%. When she wore Prada, mentions went up 140%.

Team USA is a brand, and like any brand, it needs visibility. Smith points out that in the Olympics, sponsorship is king. “Have you ever been to the Olympics?” Smith asked. “Marketing is another big reason why Caitlin should have made the team.” By excluding her, they missed out on a cross-promotion opportunity that comes around once in a generation.

Conclusion: A Vacation for Clark, A Lesson for the League

Ultimately, Caitlin Clark is likely fine. She gets a much-needed vacation after playing non-stop from the NCAA tournament through a grueling WNBA rookie season. She gets to rest, recharge, and watch as her value is proven in absentia.

For Team USA, however, the lesson is harsh. They “made their bed,” as Smith put it, and now they have to lie in it. They prioritized hierarchy over hype, and tradition over transformation. The result? A gold medal favorite playing in front of empty seats, proving once and for all that in 2025, you cannot separate the sport from the spectacle. The revolution was televised, but Team USA decided not to broadcast it.