{
  "id": 14208175,
  "title": "‘Still crying’ – WNBA fans brutally shut down Caitlin Clark critic’s weird ESPN ratings dig",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/still-crying-wnba-fans-brutally-shut-down-caitlin-clark-critics-weird",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-13T13:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/still-crying-wnba-fans-brutally-133000074.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "One WNBA fan quickly learned the consequences of spreading misinformation about Caitlin Clark. Despite Clark's significant impact on the 2026 WNBA playoffs, with many eyes on her during the first round, the WNBA's playoff ratings have plummeted. Reports suggest a decrease of over 40% since Clark's exit from the postseason. However, one Clark critic, X user 'AngeShedeway', attempted to push a false narrative using ESPN's name.\n\nAngeShedeway claimed that ESPN had not released the ratings for Games 2 and 3 of the WNBA Semifinals because they were high. They suggested this was to protect the narrative that fans had stopped watching the WNBA playoffs after Clark's elimination. But Clark fans swiftly corrected this misinformation, as the ratings were already out and had crashed since the Fever's exit.\n\nFans sarcastically questioned whether this was an ESPN narrative, pointing out that networks often hide high ratings. Some suggested it might be because the ratings were low and ESPN might have to pull the broadcast. Others claimed that ESPN would proudly release high ratings if they were indeed high, rather than hiding them. Many fans reminded AngeShedeway that higher ratings mean higher revenue for ESPN, so if the ratings were higher, they'd be happy to show them. Some also believed that ESPN, the last company to hide the positive impact on the WNBA without Clark, would not be hiding such good news.",
  "summary": "One WNBA fan quickly discovered the consequences of spreading fake news about Caitlin Clark. Caitlin Clark is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in the WNBA right now.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Donald Trump gives ‘beautiful’ Sophie Cunningham scouting report during rally speech",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/donald-trump-gives-beautiful-sophie-cunningham-scouting-report-during",
        "published": "2026-10-13T02:42:54.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "SB Nation",
        "title": "Donald Trump had a bizarre take on Sophie Cunningham and the WNBA",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/donald-trump-had-a-bizarre-take-on-sophie-cunningham-and-the-wnba",
        "published": "2026-10-13T14:59:59.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}