Connecticut Sun Roll Out Hilariously Ruthless Bandwagon Cam, But The Timing Is Strange
The Connecticut Sun didn't waste any time roasting the new guys when fans rolled into their arena — which led to their first sold-out home opener in over 20 years — to see Caitlin Clark and the visiting Indiana Fever.
I love innovations in Jumbotron entertainment. We've gone from the "Kiss Cam" to the "Backwards Eating Cam" and beyond. This time the Sun got some shots in at Fever fans with the debut of their "Bandwagon Cam."
My first thought upon seeing that was, "That's hilarious." Trolling visiting fans is an age-old tradition.
I don't think Caitlin Clark or Fever fans should get a pass, but I do think it's interesting that a lot of these people are potentially new WNBA fans, and in what is quite possibly their first trip to a game, they're getting goofed on… for being new fans.
Clark is bringing a level of attention to the WNBA that it has never seen before. This is a golden opportunity for the league to rake in some cash and grow, but it seems like some longer-term fans, teams, and players are unwilling to accept the fact that Clark is bringing in new fans, which they desperately need.
You've got A'ja Wilson trying to argue that Clark is mainly popular because she's white. ESPN downplaying Clark in promos for the 2024 season. Now, goofing on people who are new to the league because of Clark's involvement.
It feels like some in WNBA circles are treating this golden opportunity the way music fans do when a once-underground band gets mainstream attention. The WNBA is still kind of a niche league, and there's something "cool" about liking something like that. You're part of an exclusive club.
Now, here come a bunch of new "mainstream" people who only started liking it when it got popular.
What a bunch of poseurs, maaaaaan!
The WNBA and everyone involved have got to accept that Clark and the attention she brought to the sport is something they've got to use for the league's long-term stability.
It doesn't matter how the fans got to the league, they're there now.
If they somehow manage to mess this up, it will be a ball-dropping of monumental proportions.