ESPN Pretend Caitlin Clark DOESN’T EXIST When Talking About Superbowl Commercials… Look at This Behavior, Just Purely “Unprofessional”

ESPN has found itself in hot water yet again after an embarrassing blunder that left WNBA fans—and especially Caitlin Clark supporters—absolutely fuming. In a now-deleted post, the sports network managed to highlight every single female athlete who appeared in a Super Bowl commercial—except one. And not just any one. The most talked-about name in women’s basketball right now: Caitlin Clark.

The Blatant Omission That Sparked Outrage

When ESPN posted about the women featured in Super Bowl commercials, they included a carousel of names and images. Angel Reese? Check. A’ja Wilson? Check. Sha’Carri Richardson? Check. Even athletes who had only fleeting seconds in these ads made the cut. But not Caitlin Clark.

The omission was so glaring that within minutes, the comments were flooded with fans calling ESPN out for their intentional erasure. And what did ESPN do? Instead of fixing the mistake and re-uploading the post with Clark included, they simply deleted it. Gone. Erased from existence as if it had never happened.

The backlash was immediate and fierce. Why? Because Clark wasn’t just in the Nike Super Bowl commercial—she was featured prominently. She appeared within the first five seconds, her face one of the most recognizable in the entire ad. Yet, according to ESPN, she apparently never existed.

ESPN’s Intentional Disrespect? Fans Think So

Let’s be real: this wasn’t an innocent mistake. If ESPN had only highlighted a few athletes, then maybe, just maybe, it could have been dismissed as an oversight. But no. They included everyone else. Literally every other female athlete who made an appearance—except Clark.

The situation got even more bizarre when fans noticed another glaring error. ESPN mistakenly referred to Serena Williams as “Serena Wilson” in the post. The incompetence was undeniable. But while a simple name mix-up can be chalked up to human error, completely erasing the most prominent figure in women’s basketball right now? That doesn’t just happen by accident.

Deleting the Post Instead of Fixing It—A Guilty Move?

What makes this worse is ESPN’s response—or lack thereof. Instead of acknowledging the backlash, admitting their mistake, and re-uploading the corrected post, they chose the coward’s way out. They nuked the post entirely and pretended it never happened.

But fans weren’t about to let this slide. Screenshots of the post were already circulating, and social media exploded with criticism.

“If this wasn’t intentional, why not just fix it and re-upload?” one fan tweeted.

“This is what ESPN has been doing for months—acting like Caitlin Clark doesn’t exist unless they absolutely have to acknowledge her.” another wrote.

The reality is that sports networks like ESPN are struggling to control narratives in the age of social media. Gone are the days when they could push their preferred stars while ignoring others. The fans decide now. And Caitlin Clark’s fans? They’re not letting this go.

Why Is Caitlin Clark So Polarizing?

ESPN’s omission only feeds into the ongoing controversy surrounding Clark’s rise. Some veteran WNBA players and analysts have been vocal about their resentment toward the level of attention Clark is receiving. The fact that she’s already become one of the most marketable names in sports—before even playing a full WNBA season—has rubbed some the wrong way.

Cunningham, who recently joined the Indiana Fever, put it best:

“I think Caitlin’s doing a lot of great things for women’s basketball. If you have something negative to say about the viewership she’s bringing in, you’re probably just jealous.”

And she’s not wrong. Caitlin Clark has done more to elevate women’s basketball in a year than ESPN has done in a decade. Her presence has brought in record-breaking ratings, sold-out arenas, and massive endorsements.

But instead of embracing this moment and celebrating the unprecedented growth of women’s basketball, some corners of the sports media world seem intent on downplaying Clark’s impact—or in ESPN’s case, pretending she doesn’t exist.

The Streisand Effect—ESPN Just Made Clark More Popular

If ESPN thought ignoring Clark would make her fade into the background, they just made a massive miscalculation. The Streisand Effect is in full force—where attempting to suppress information only makes it spread more rapidly.

By refusing to acknowledge Clark, ESPN has only further mobilized her fanbase. The attempt to control the narrative has backfired spectacularly. Instead of diminishing her presence, they’ve amplified it.

Even those who aren’t necessarily Clark fans are now calling out ESPN’s hypocrisy. If they’re going to claim to support women’s sports, why erase one of the biggest names in it right now?

Final Thoughts: ESPN’s Credibility Takes Another Hit

This isn’t just about Caitlin Clark—it’s about transparency and fairness in sports media. ESPN had an opportunity to celebrate a historic moment for women’s sports, but instead, they exposed their own bias. Their refusal to correct the post only further cemented the belief that they’re deliberately trying to downplay Clark’s significance.

But if there’s one thing we know, it’s that Clark’s influence isn’t going anywhere. ESPN can try to erase her from their Super Bowl recap, but they can’t erase the facts: she’s a generational talent, a ratings juggernaut, and the future of women’s basketball.

And whether ESPN likes it or not, the fans will make sure she gets the recognition she deserves.