Gatorade Ad Backfires With WNBA Fans — Yet Caitlin Clark Jersey Sales Skyrocket Past $660K Amid Heated Debate

Gatorade, a titan in sports marketing, recently hoped to make a splash in women’s basketball. Launching a high-profile ad campaign aimed at WNBA fans, the brand spotlighted rookie phenom Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever guard whose NCAA heroics flooded the sports pages and ignited fan fervor coast to coast. But what Gatorade didn’t expect was a tidal wave of backlash—not just over who they highlighted, but how.

Yet in a twist that speaks volumes about fandom and the evolving face of women’s sports, the very controversy intended to spur engagement instead kicked Caitlin Clark’s jersey sales into another stratosphere, surging past a staggering $660,000 just days after the campaign dropped.

How did a Gatorade campaign designed to champion women’s basketball end up caught in the crosshairs, and what does this saga say about where the WNBA—and sports fandom at large—are headed?

The Ad That Sparked a Firestorm

For months, anticipation swirled around Caitlin Clark’s pro debut. Arguably the most hyped rookie in WNBA history, Clark broke records and barriers alike at Iowa, bringing millions of new eyes to women’s hoops. But in the WNBA, her stardom coincided with simmering frustration among long-time fans about how the league, media, and sponsors often overlook established stars—names like A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, and Arike Ogunbowale—for whoever is causing the biggest viral buzz.

It’s against that backdrop that Gatorade’s new ad hit screens: a glossy, fast-cut celebration of Clark’s move to the pros, spotlighting her highlights and energy. But despite featuring other WNBA athletes fleetingly, the marketing emphasis was clear: Clark was the centerpiece. Social media erupted within hours.

Longtime fans, current players, and even some league journalists called out Gatorade for perpetuating what they saw as a “Clark-centric” media narrative, sidelining a diverse and deserving cast of veteran superstars. “So all it takes is a rookie season for THIS much ad time? Where was this for A’ja?” read one viral post, echoing a sentiment found across Twitter and TikTok.

Others noted less pleasant undertones, questioning why a predominantly white rookie received the spotlight while Black superstars who have dominated the league for years still fight for equivalent mainstream visibility and endorsement dollars.

The Clark Effect: A Double-Edged Sword

No one doubts Clark’s potential to change the WNBA landscape—and she’s already set new records for jersey sales, ticket demand, and TV ratings. Yet this rapid elevation has exposed fault lines: Is the media—and now key sponsors—banking too much on one person while newer fans, drawn by Clark’s exploits, miss out on the league’s broader tapestry of talent? Or is the outrage missing the point, failing to see the rising tide Clark brings for all boats in women’s basketball?

To be sure, Clark’s popularity is indisputable. As the Gatorade hubbub unfolded, data from Fanatics and the WNBA confirmed something startling: Clark’s jersey was outselling every other player’s by enormous margins, accounting for over $660,000 in sales in less than a week. For reference, that shatters previous rookie jersey benchmarks and even approaches the highest-selling NBA debuts.

Ironically, some fans noted that the controversy itself may be driving sales higher. “People want to be part of the ‘moment’—and when folks try to diminish her, it only rallies her supporters,” one Fever fan tweeted.

Gatorade Responds—But Is It Enough?

Caught off guard, Gatorade issued a brief statement on their commitment to elevating all women athletes and promised to include more diverse WNBA voices in ongoing campaigns. Still, for many critics, the hastily appended “look, we love everyone!” messaging felt like an afterthought. “It’s more than just putting faces on a poster,” said a Washington Mystics fan. “It’s about telling the full story, not just banking on new fans flocking to one person.”

Yet marketing pros say Gatorade knew what it was doing. “Brands chase buzz—they want the breakout phenomenon,” explained sports branding expert Lila Thompkins. “Clark is that phenomenon. The risk is alienating your core base, but the reward is years of new fans and sales.” In a way, she notes, this is the growing pain of any fast-changing league.

The Bigger Picture: Growth, Friction, and Opportunity

At the heart of this debate is a truth both inspiring and complex: the WNBA is exploding in popularity, thanks to stars like Clark and those who’ve been grinding for years. But as new fans pile in, old frustrations can resurface—about race, recognition, and what it means to truly honor all who built the league’s foundation.

The Gatorade backlash is more than a marketing misstep; it’s a flashpoint for the ongoing conversation about equity and representation in sports. This is, after all, the first time in recent memory that women’s basketball holds the cultural megaphone. The flood of new attention, even when messy, could push brands and leagues alike to broaden their lens, telling richer, more inclusive stories moving forward.

In the meantime, Clark herself remains gracious and team-focused. Asked about the controversy, she deflected credit to her teammates and the league’s veterans, echoing a sentiment she’s repeated since draft night: “The league is full of amazing talent. I want to do my part to help everyone get the spotlight.”

Sales Soar, the Conversation Grows

Despite (or perhaps because of) the social storm, Clark’s star seems undimmed. More than ever, people are tuning in, buying tickets, and—judging by the jersey sales—staking claim to the changing of the guard. To some, it’s evidence that controversy sells, or at least amplifies what fans were already enthusiastic about. To others, it’s a reminder that true progress requires both celebration and critique.

Will this dustup change how Gatorade and other brands tell women’s sports stories? If the sales numbers are anything to go by, a delicate recalibration—not a retreat—is likely. The challenge: to harness the energy of breakout stars without erasing the fabric woven by those who came before.

For now, the Fever’s #22 jersey is everywhere—a walking billboard not just for Clark, but for a league negotiating its breakthrough moment, one headline (and one Gatorade campaign) at a time.