In 2025, the WNBA’s spotlight took a wild turn—straight to the broadcast booth. For once, it’s not the players in the hot seat, but the critics. Caitlin Clark’s phenomenal rise has rattled some cages, and now, those who took shots at her are facing the fallout. The mic is no longer just for calling the game—this time, it’s calling for accountability.
Cindy Brunson, once the voice of the Phoenix Mercury, now finds herself out of the play-by-play rotation amid fan backlash, controversial remarks, and a stormy season that was as much about what happened off-court as on it. As Mick from Mick Talks Hoops put it in his YouTube video, “It is kind of telling that two teams have let go of, well, or at least not rehired people that have actively kind of gone against the main player in the league.” The main player, of course, is Caitlin Clark.
The Phoenix Mercury recently announced their 2025 broadcast schedule—the most expansive in franchise history—with 36 regular season games and two preseason contests airing on Arizona’s Family and Mercury Live. But Brunson’s name was noticeably absent. In her place: Emmy-winning Ann Schatz, Hall of Famer Ann Meyers Drysdale, and Valley Suns announcer Braiden Bell. The rotation shift comes at a time when optics matter more than ever, and for a franchise looking to rebuild both its roster and its rapport with fans, Brunson’s controversial presence had become a liability.
The tipping point wasn’t a singular moment—it was a steady drip. In a widely circulated Twitter Space, Brunson allegedly made “really not good” remarks about Clark, according to Mick, who further noted, “Cindy Brunson went into a Twitter space and said some, like, really not good things, I can’t remember exactly what they were. I might be 100% wrong. I think, I looked back on the video, I think she went on and said, said that Caitlin Clark, or implied anyway, that the Indiana Fever (2:31) needed to, uh, do something about Caitlin Clark.”
Well, Mick is right, what she said was the following: “Let’s press the Indiana organization,” she urged. “If Caitlin isn’t going to do the right thing, I think general manager Lin Dunn, head coach Stephanie White, other folks in that organization need to push back on the vitriol aimed particularly at Black women and LGBTQI+ women.”
However, that moment instantly painted Cindy Brunson as a “Clark hater” in the public eye. So when Caitlin Clark snagged 66 out of 67 votes for WNBA Rookie of the Year, all fingers pointed at Brunson for the lone missing vote, even though she didn’t even have one. Brunson tried to set the record straight, saying she was caught in a “doppelganger situation” and had no say in the official awards. But by then, the internet had already made up its mind. Even her calls for Indiana Fever leadership to address online hate targeting Black and LGBTQ+ players were brushed off by many as hollow and performative.
At face value, the sentiment carried weight. But context—and history—muddied the waters. Especially when Ken Swift on X started digging for old receipts and found one of Cindy Brunson, commenting on a post mocking Monika Czinano’s appearance. The backlash wasn’t just about Clark—it was about credibility. In a sport that thrives on teamwork, Brunson had seemingly committed a cardinal sin: going one-on-one when the league needed unity.
Mick summed it up bluntly: “It’s not the greatest look employing a person, employing someone who says the stuff that they said,” and she is not alone.
Sheryl Swoopes — another loud Clark critic — has quietly disappeared from Dallas Wings broadcasts, and it’s not hard to see why. The Wings ranked dead last in Awful Announcing’s 2024 local WNBA broadcaster rankings. The Mercury? Just one spot better at 11th, with Cindy Brunson and Ann Meyers-Drysdale in the booth. While the duo got a B grade, the report made it clear: perception wasn’t matching performance.
Meanwhile, Swoopes’ takes stirred more fire than insight. She downplayed Clark’s NCAA scoring record, claimed Angel Reese had outplayed her, and even misstated the facts: “If Kelsey Plum set that record in four years, well, Caitlin should’ve broke that record in four years.” She (Clark) did, and in fewer games.
So yeah, Brunson’s exit and Swoopes’ vanishing act? They don’t feel like coincidences. More like strategic timeouts. Because when controversy overshadows the game, the smartest move is often to reset the play.
Caitlin Clark: The Jersey-Selling, Game-Changing Phenomenon
And well, Caitlin Clark isn’t just changing the game — she’s redefining its entire economy.
Since joining the Indiana Fever, Clark has shattered records both on and off the court. Her jersey became the top-selling draft pick jersey ever, surpassing sales of NBA legends like LeBron James and Michael Jordan during the September to November 2024 period, trailing only Stephen Curry.
September 1, 2024, Arlington, Texas, USA: Indiana Fever guard CAITLIN CLARK 22 being guarded by Dallas Wings guard JACY SHELDON 4 during a WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA game between the Indiana Fever and Dallas Wings at College Park Center. The Fever win 100-93. Arlington USA – ZUMAf180 20240901_zsp_f180_023 Copyright: xMarkxFannx
Clark’s impact extends beyond merchandise. The 2024 WNBA season saw unprecedented viewership numbers, with ESPN averaging 1.2 million viewers per game, a 155% increase from the previous year. Games featuring Clark’s Fever team averaged 1.18 million viewers, compared to 394,000 for other games. Her presence also contributed to a 320% increase in attendance for the Fever and played a role in securing a $2 billion broadcasting deal for the WNBA.
Clark’s influence has even reached the financial realm, with her impact on the WNBA and Indianapolis estimated by Dr Ryan Brewer, associate professor of finance at Indiana University Columbus, to be $36 million and $40 million, respectively. Despite a rookie salary of $76,000, she earned $11 million through endorsements, highlighting her marketability and the league’s growing commercial appeal.
In recognition of her transformative effect on the sport, Clark was named Time’s 2024 Athlete of the Year. So, Caitlin Clark isn’t just a player; she’s a phenomenon driving the WNBA into a new era of popularity and profitability.
The post Caitlin Clark Criticism Leads to Mercury Announcer’s Exit as YouTuber Explains appeared first on EssentiallySports.
