Caitlin Clark’s Xfinity partnership brings men’s sports fans into the WNBA fold

The GIST: Every women’s sports fan knows the struggle of not finding the game they want to watch on TV. That’s the driver behind Xfinity’s campaign to highlight its expanding WNBA coverage across platforms — and to underscore its message, the telecomms company brought in one of the faces of the league: former Iowa Hawkeye and current Indiana Fever sensation Caitlin Clark.

• Last month, Xfinity renewed its deal with Clark for a third year, so we chatted with the superstar about her partnership, legitimizing the women’s game in men’s spaces, and how expanded viewership fuels the W’s growth. Game on.

Repping the women’s game in men’s sports: In addition to commercials and social media activations, Clark appeared as a guest analyst on two episodes of Basketball Night In America, Xfinity subsidiary NBC’s primetime NBA show. She pointed out that a WNBA star having a literal seat at the table for such a major men’s sports moment was validating for the league.

• “I think it speaks to the way people are respecting the W, how much they love the W, how much they pay attention to the games that are on,” Clark explained.

• “I was definitely a little bit nervous going into it…it was at [Madison Square] Garden on Sunday night and LeBron James was playing so it was a little intimidating,” she said. But at the end of the day, “You’re just talking basketball…about what you see and the players you love.”

The campaign’s driving force: “The craze for the WNBA and the demand for it right now is as high as ever,” Clark pointed out, “and sometimes people aren’t always able to travel or go to the arena” to see games in person. “You want to have the fans connected and able to watch us no matter what game we’re playing, what city we’re in, no matter where they are.”

• That’s the real problem for women’s sports fans that Xfinity can help solve — the company’s deal with the NBA and WNBA ensured customers can access more than 300 W games a season between TV and streaming, along with league-specific content hubs that make finding games easier. Partnering with Clark helps highlight that expanded access for fans.

• Of increased access supporting viewership, Clark said, “I’m just really thankful for that. I know that wasn’t always a thing when I was growing up…so I’m just excited for that and excited for the fans to not miss out on any opportunities.”

The takeaway: The heart of Xfinity’s campaign spotlights its ability to solve an infamously common problem for women’s sports fans. Using Clark’s notoriety to boost its message — and the league’s credibility with NBA fans at the same time — is a slam dunk.