The league had its perfect anniversary moment when the Los Angeles Sparks’ Nneka Ogwumike scored that buzzer-beater. On the league’s 30th anniversary, Sparks and Liberty faced off as two of the original founding teams. No. 30 Nneka Ogwumike, the leader of the WNBPA and a veteran, gave Sparks the win with her final-second three, which was poetically perfect. However, one of the WNBA’s marketing moves for their anniversary is receiving major criticism, particularly because of Caitlin Clark’s absence among other legends.
The league has released a special commemorative poster for the WNBA’s 30th year.
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“Bring a piece of WNBA history home, 🏀” the league’s official account wrote. “Celebrate 30 years of the W with this commemorative anniversary poster. WinCraft’s poster is available now!”
In a piece meant for collectors, it was expected to have the league’s biggest legends and current stars.
“Celebrate three decades of greatness with this commemorative WNBA 30th Anniversary poster, featuring the league’s biggest stars who have defined and shaped the game over the years,” the league described. “Every team that has ever been part of the WNBA story is represented, from current franchises to beloved classics like the Cleveland Rockers and Miami Sol, making this a true tribute to the league’s full history.”
However, as the fans combed through the poster, they did not find Caitlin Clark, one of the most popular stars in the league.
Instead, Sophie Cunningham was representing the Indiana Fever. Naturally, the Fever fanbase was fuming, but even beyond the Fever fans, others noticed some major exclusions, too.
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What did WNBA fans say?
Fans were quick to share their thoughts on social media.
“LOL! Nice job promoting the face of your league, 🙄” wrote a fan.
“The marketing department for this league is an absolute joke……” wrote another.
Caitlin Clark is arguably the biggest superstar the league has today. Her stature is matched by few. Just to understand the magnitude of her popularity, a USA Today report in May said that Clark sold the second most merchandise in the last two years, only behind Steph Curry.
She surpassed NBA stars like LeBron James and Luka Doncic. A majority of the league’s most watched games in the last two years feature Clark. So, fans were surprised not to see her featured on the poster.
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“It seems like a pretty obvious opportunity to put either Tamika Catchings or Caitlin Clark on this for the Fever,” wrote another fan.
Catchings is a 10-time All-Star and helped the Indiana Fever win their one and only title in 2012. She is a finals MVP and the biggest franchise legend. By comparison, Sophie Cunningham joined the franchise in 2025 and has not even played two full seasons in a Fever shirt.
Legacy-wise, Catchings deserves a mention, considering this poster commemorates the league’s history. But business-wise, Caitlin Clark is the more obvious choice.
A WNBA fan further mentioned: “But the WNBA puts Sophie? This literally makes no sense… Also would have loved to see Swin Cash on here for the Detroit Shock.”
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“I’ve never tweeted about a poster before. 😂 There are far more important things. That said, I heard from a few of you and gave it a look,” USA Today’s Christinne Brennan wrote. “So I’ll just pose a question: have we ever seen a sports league—a business enterprise—actively try to not make as much money as possible?”
For long, the league has been accused of mistreating Caitlin Clark, whether it’s calling herfouls on the court or appreciating her achievements and marketing her. For example, many pre-game graphics did not have Clark for the Fever, which did not leave a good impression on fans.
“Where’s Maya Moore? Diana Taurasi?? Tamika Catchings?? Sue Bird?? Caitlin Clark???” asked a fan.
Moore, Taurasi, and Bird are arguably the three biggest names the league has seen. All in all, it seems like the poster didn’t excite WNBA fans.
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