WNBA ratings soar amid culture war over trans athletes | Lorraine Ali Aug 20, 2026 Aug 20, 2026 Updated 4 hrs ago 0 × Sports Illustrated - Women's Fastbreak Robin reacts to another ratings record for Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever. Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save File under “stupid publicity stunt that I shouldn’t even be writing about, but here I am, writing about it.” Lorraine Ali kAm{2DE H66<[ 7@C>6C }qp A=2J6CD t?6D z2?E6C uC665@> 2?5 #@J46 (9:E6 56>2?565 E96J 36 @77:4:2==J 564=2C65 6=:8:3=6 7@C E96 a_af (}qp 5C27E] (9:E6[ H9@ C646?E=J =@DE E96 #6AF3=:42? AC:>2CJ 7@C E96 &]$] $6?2E6 D62E 36:?8 G242E65 3J C6E:C:?8 |:??6D@E2 $6?] %:?2 $>:E9[ 92D 4=2:>65 E@ 36 EC2?D86?56C 2?5 2C8F65 E92E 96 D9@F=5 36 2==@H65 E@ A=2J :? E96 H@>6?’D =628F6]k^AmkAm“x :56?E:7J 2D D@>6E:>6D :56?E:7J:?8 2D 2 H@>2? 7@C AFCA@D6D @7 … AC@76DD:@?2= 32D<6E32==[” 96 E@=5 u@I }6HD]k^Am kAm(9:E6 2=D@ A@DE65 A:4EFC6D @7 9:>D6=7 H62C:?8 2 H:8[ DE2E:?8 96 H2D 6>3C24:?8 9:D “76>:?:?6 6C2]”k^Am People are also reading… Cabarrus, Kannapolis among school districts breaking a rarely enforced state law UPDATE: Kannapolis police identify man killed in officer-involved shooting Music and dancing highlight Swanee Theatre late summer, fall lineup Rooftop restaurant, cocktail lounge coming to downtown Concord Novant gains permission to open Lincoln hospital; Atrium, Novant gain Cabarrus beds Robin Sage exercise begins across region including Cabarrus Friday Five: Ride, run, rant and eat some of my favorite things Audi was going 132 mph on I-85 when it killed a Kannapolis teen, NC troopers say The District Exchange fully occupied, 17 businesses set to celebrate Cream of Cabarrus - Jay M. Robinson picked to repeat CORRECTION - Photo not the right person Mustang Week finds new home at the Speedway, bringing world's largest Mustang gathering to Cabarrus Who's playing? Check out the week by week Cabarrus football schedules High expectations for the Wonders heading to 2026 season Kiefer's Viking approach to football - 'brutally strong' kAms6D:8?65 E@ >@4< E96 EC2?D 4@>>F?:EJ 2?5 EC@== E96 @C82?:K2E:@? 2?5 :ED :?4=FD:@? 2?5 D6=7\:56?E:7:42E:@? A@=:4:6D[ E96 7@C>6C }qp A=2J6CD DF886DE65 E96J H@F=5 E2<6 =682= 24E:@? :7 3=@4<65 7C@> E96 (}qp 5C27E]k^AmkAm%96J’C6 2>@?8 E96 =68:@?D @7 2EE6?E:@? D66<6CD[ :?7=F6?46CD[ ?6HD >65:2 2?5 24E:G:DED E2<:?8 D:56D :? 2 4F=EFC6 H2C @G6C D@>6E9:?8 E92E’D ?@E 6G6? 4=@D6 E@ 92AA6?:?8i E96 (}qp’D :?4=FD:@? @7 EC2?D86?56C 2E9=6E6D] %@ 36 4=62C[ ?@ EC2?D86?56C A=2J6CD 2C6 D=2E65 E@ 364@>6 A2CE @7 E96 =628F6’D C@DE6C] %96 C:89E\H:?8 FAC@2C65 @G6C 2? :>28:?65 E9C62E] (96C6 92G6 H6 D66? E9:D 367@C6nk^Am kAm%96 5632E6 H2D DA2C<65 ?@E 3J 2? :>A6?5:?8 C62=:EJ 3FE :?DE625 3J 4@>>6?ED 7C@> 2 A=2J6C H9@’D ?@ DEC2?86C E@ 4@?EC@G6CDJ]k^Am kAmx? 2? t$!} AC@7:=6 =2DE >@?E9[ x?5:2?2 u6G6C 8F2C5 $@A9:6 rF??:?892> DE2E65 E92E “3:@=@8:42= >6?” D9@F=5 ?@E 4@>A6E6 :? H@>6?’D DA@CED[ 42==:?8 E96 A@D:E:@? “4@>>@? D6?D6” E@ AC@E64E J@F?8 8:C=D 2?5 %:E=6 x)] p8:E2E:@? :D ?@E9:?8 ?6H 7@C rF??:?892>] $96’D 366? 42==65 “|pvp q2C3:6” D:?46 96C 4@==686 52JD[ A2CE=J 3642FD6 @7 E96 4@?D6CG2E:G6 :?7=F6?46CD D96 7@==@HD 2?5 6?8286D H:E9 @? D@4:2= >65:2] kDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>QmrF??:?892> 92D 364@>6 2 4@?5F:E 7@C |pvp 8C:6G2?46D[ 2?5 96C <?24< 7@C 82C?6C:?8 2EE6?E:@? 92D 366? 2 3@@? 7@C E9@D6 492>A:@?:?8 C:89E H:?8 42FD6D]k^DA2?mk^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts kAm%96 C6>2C<D 5C6H 24E:G:DE 8C@FAD E@ C2==J @FED:56 (}qp 82>6D[ 96:89E6?:?8 E6?D:@?D :?D:56 2C6?2D[ 2?5 3642>6 8C:DE 7@C |pvp :?7=F6?46CD kDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>QmDF49 2D 4@>A6E:E:G6 DH:>>6C EFC?65 A@=:E:42= 24E:G:DE #:=6J v2:?6Dk^DA2?m]k^Am kAmr2A:E2=:K:?8 @? E96 762C @7 EC2?D86?56C 2E9=6E6D A2CE:4:A2E:?8 :? H@>6?’D DA@CED 2?5 DE@<:?8 @FEC286 2>@?8 4@?D6CG2E:G6D kDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm23@FE H92E E96 A@=:E:42= =67E >2J 5@ D9@F=5 E96J C6EFC? E@ A@H6Ck^DA2?m 92D 366? 2 H:??:?8 >@G6 7@C E96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@?] x? u63CF2CJ a_ad[ !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>A D:8?65 2? 6I64FE:G6 @C56C 42==65 “z66A:?8 |6? ~FE @7 (@>6?’D $A@CED” E92E H2D 56D:8?65 E@ H:E99@=5 7656C2= 7F?5:?8 7C@> @C82?:K2E:@?D E92E 5@ ?@E 23:56 3J E96 25>:?:DEC2E:@?’D G:6H E92E 2 A6CD@?’D D6I :D E96 86?56C E96J H6C6 2DD:8?65 2E 3:CE9]k^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm(9:E6 w@FD6 AC6DD D64C6E2CJ z2C@=:?6 {62G:EE D2:5 =2DE >@?E9 E92E >6? D9@F=5 ?@E 36 A=2J:?8 :? H@>6?’D DA@CED] “xE’D 4@>A=6E6=J =F5:4C@FD E92E 2?J@?6 4@F=5 DFAA@CE E92E[” D96 D2:5] “xE’D 6G6? >@C6 =F5:4C@FD E92E J@F 5@ 92G6 rF??:?892> — 2 76>2=6 2E9=6E6 96CD6=7[ G6CJ 244@>A=:D965 :? 96C @H? C:89E — 4@>:?8 7@CE9 2?5 DA62<:?8 E92E ECFE9 E92E >6? D9@F=5?’E A=2J :? H@>6?’D DA@CED] (6 H2?E E@ AC@E64E H@>6? 2?5 8:C=D[ 2?5 E96 324<=2D9 D96 :D C646:G:?8 7C@> s6>@4C2ED 2?5 =67E\H:?8 7:8FC6D 24C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ :D 2DE@?:D9:?8]”k^DA2?mk^Am kAm%96 (}qp =2DE H66< 4C:E:4:K65 E9@D6 ECJ:?8 E@ 4C62E6 2 72=D6 ?2CC2E:G6 23@FE EC2?D86?56C H@>6? A=2J:?8 :? E96 =628F6] “%96C6 2C6 ?@ :>>65:2E6 6=:8:3:=:EJ >2EE6CD 27764E:?8 E96 (}qpkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm[ 2?5 H6 DEC@?8=J 56?@F?46 E96 325\72:E9 677@CED E@ FD6 E96D6 E@A:4D E@ 56>62? @C >2C8:?2=:K6 @E96CDk^DA2?m[” 2 =628F6 DA@<6DA6CD@? D2:5]k^Am kAm%kDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm96C6 :D ?@ =628F6 4=2FD6 E92E DE2E6D D6=7\:56?E:7:42E:@? 2D 2 H@>2? :D DF77:4:6?E E@ 6DE23=:D9 6=:8:3:=:EJ] pCE:4=6 )xxx[ $64E:@? `W2X @7 Ek^DA2?m96 (}qp’D a_ae 4@==64E:G6 32C82:?:?8 28C66>6?E D2JD[ “~?=J A=2J6CD H9@ 2C6 H@>6? 2C6 6=:8:3=6 E@ A=2J :? E96 (}qp]” %96 A@=:4J 5@6D ?@E 6IA=:4:E=J 567:?6 E96 E6C> “H@>2?]”k^AmkAmrF??:?892> D2:5 D96 5@6D?’E 92G6 2?JE9:?8 282:?DE E96 EC2?D86?56C 4@>>F?:EJ]k^Am kAm“kDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qmx 8@E 2 =@E @7 ?682E:G6 7665324< 23@FE >6 92E:?8 EC2?D] p?5 x’> =:<6[ x ?6G6C @?46 D2:5 E92E]k^DA2?m kDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qmx E9:?< E92Ek^DA2?m x 2> 96C6 E@ 6IE6?5 =@G6[” D96 D2:5 :? E96 t$!} 2CE:4=6] “qFE x 2=D@ E9:?< H:E9 E92E =@G6 :D ECFE9[ 36:?8 9@?6DE] p?5 x H2?E E@ AC@E64E J@F?8 8:C=D :? 2 =@4<6C C@@>[ @C J@F?8 8:C=D :? DA@CE H9@ D9@F=5?’E 92G6 E@ 8@ 282:?DE 3:@=@8:42= >6?]”k^Am kAm%96 G:EC:@= 2C@F?5 96C 4@>>6?ED 92D 364@>6 D@ AC@?@F?465 E92E E96 A=2J6C’D ?2>6 92D C6A@CE65=J 366? 32??65 @? E96 (}qp DF3C655:E[ H96C6 E96 =628F6’D 7@CF> H@?’E 2==@H E96 H@C5D “rF??:?892>[” “$@A9:6[” “D4[” “D4F??:?892>[” “D@A9” @C “D@A9:24F??:?892>]”k^AmkAmqFE E96 2EE6?E:@? @? rF??:?892>’D 4@>>6?ED[ E96 4@?EC:G65 @FEC286 @G6C 2 7:4E:@?2= EC2?D 2E9=6E6 5C27E 2?5 5F>3 DEF?ED 3J 7@C>6C }qp A=2J6CD >2J 92G6 96=A65 5C:G6 >@C6 7@=<D E@H2C5 H2E49:?8 E96 =628F6’D 82>6D] t$!} C6A@CE65 :ED D64@?5\>@DE\H2E4965 C68F=2C D62D@? (}qp 82>6 :? b_ J62CD H96? E96 }6H *@C< {:36CEJ\x?5:2?2 u6G6C >2E49FA 2G6C2865 a >:==:@? G:6H6CD]k^Am kAmp 4F=EFC6 H2C 2:>65 2E 56?:8C2E:?8 E96 =628F6 >2J 36 5@:?8 ;FDE E96 @AA@D:E6[ 4C62E:?8 72?D ?@ >2EE6C 9@H E96J :56?E:7J]k^Am Ali is news and culture critic for the Los Angeles Times. 0 Comments Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Caitlin Clark and Fever Continue to Set Ratings Records Robin reacts to another ratings record for Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.
Caitlin Clark and Fever Continue to Set Ratings Records Robin reacts to another ratings record for Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.
