This week, WNBA fans are learning about the downsides of the Caitlin Clark Effect as the Indiana Fever superstar is sitting out for at least two weeks with a quadriceps strain. It’s the first time Clark has missed any time during her collegiate or pro career, leaving fans and venues in the lurch.

This weekend, the WNBA season tipped off on several networks, and the results are in: Interest in the league is widespread across teams and platforms, illustrating how everyone should harness the WNBA’s popularity however they can.

The 29th WNBA season tipped off last Friday with a record 45 official sponsors, including 10 brands that signed on during the past year, according to Sports Business Journal (SBJ). Let’s dive into why these old and new brands are recognizing the potential for brand amplification in the W.

Yesterday, the WNBA announced that partner CarMax activated its Tip-Off Test Drive promotion once again, meaning fans can catch the beginning of the season on WNBA League Pass for free. Sponsoring exclusive, free content is a fantastic way to rev up positive brand association, which is especially key in a space where consumers reward their favorite sponsors.

With the WNBA season tipping off tomorrow, we’re seeing an increase in aspirational companies choosing to partner with the W. And according to the latest data insights from Sports Innovation Lab (SIL), there’s a reason why brands like Fenty Beauty are choosing the WNBA, especially teams like the NY Liberty and Golden State Valkyries.

This week, vaginal care brand Vagisil announced a new partnership with the NY Liberty that bonds the NYC–based brands over a shared message of empowering women. Additionally, athlete-focused tampon company Sequel will serve as the Indiana Fever’s official tampon in a deal that includes Lexie Hull as a player ambassador and free tampons at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

On Wednesday, the NY Liberty announced a partnership with Rihanna’s billion-dollar Fenty Beauty empire. The collab is the latest example of a popular, celeb-driven brand carefully curating its sports sponsorships, namely by working with teams and athletes that have prestige and influence.

WNBA ticket demand is at an all-time high: This year’s All-Star Game sold out within a day, and according to ticket sales platform StubHub, the W is much more popular this season. At a time when the industry needs to know where W fans are showing up, here’s more insight from StubHub’s data as we approach May 16th’s season tipoff.

Yesterday, the WNBA made history (again) by announcing that all games in its expanded preseason slate will be broadcast or streamed this year. The move comes as the W continues to monetize its product, and with this whole new chunk of games, brands can reach WNBA superfans like never before.

It’s only been a few weeks since Paige Bueckers was drafted to the WNBA’s Dallas Wings, but the entire ecosystem is already benefiting from the “Bueckers Effect.”

The hype around projected No. 1 WNBA Draft pick Paige Bueckers is reminiscent of last year’s frenzy around aforementioned Fever star Caitlin Clark. Her entry into the league spurred spending around the Fever, the W, and Clark herself, and it seems the same is expected for Bueckers and her potential landing place, the Dallas Wings

On Monday, the Dallas Wings drafted UConn star Paige Bueckers first overall, and she’s expected to bring comparable economic impact as fellow W star Caitlin Clark did when she was drafted by the Indianapolis Fever last year. Let’s review how Clark boosted the local economy and elevated the Fever to one of the league’s most coveted brands.