Sports journalist Jason Whitlock believes that Elon Musk, owner of the social media platform X, should capitalize on the growing popularity of women’s basketball by launching a new league featuring star player Caitlin Clark. Whitlock expressed this view on his show Fearless, proposing that Musk, in his efforts to turn X into a major media platform, could use Clark’s prominence to attract a large audience.
“This is an opportunity for someone, for us to build a women’s basketball league around Caitlin Clark,” Whitlock said. He suggested that Musk, who has been seeking ways to make X a rival to YouTube, needs compelling content to drive user engagement. “Caitlin Clark is that content. Women’s basketball is that content. What we need is an XX League,” he added.
Elon Musk needs content for X to make it rival YouTube. Caitlin Clark is that content. Women’s basketball is that content. He need’s to start his own league. pic.twitter.com/cTuGJyPozp
— Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) October 10, 2024
Clark, a rising star in the WNBA, has already garnered attention for her remarkable debut season with the Indiana Fever. She was the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft and quickly made an impact with her scoring ability and playmaking. Clark’s rookie season was filled with milestones, including multiple 30-point games, setting records for assists and turnovers, and becoming the first WNBA rookie to record a triple-double.
Whitlock’s idea hinges on Clark’s appeal and the growing interest in women’s sports. Clark, who has already become a fan favorite in the WNBA, could be the face of a new league aimed at showcasing women’s basketball talent. The journalist believes that a league built around a star like Clark could offer Musk the content necessary to compete with other major video platforms.
Musk, who acquired X (formerly Twitter) in 2022, has been open about his desire to transform the platform into a global media hub. The billionaire has previously expressed interest in expanding X’s video capabilities and attracting more users with exclusive content. Whitlock sees Clark and women’s basketball as the perfect vehicle for that strategy.
Clark’s impressive performances during her rookie season have further fueled Whitlock’s suggestion. On July 2, 2024, Clark was selected for the WNBA All-Star Game, receiving the most fan votes of any player in the league. She became the first rookie to record a triple-double, and by the end of the season, she led the league in assists while making a league-high 122 three-pointers. Her team, the Indiana Fever, made the playoffs for the first time since 2016, in part due to Clark’s leadership on the court.
Whitlock emphasized that Musk should take advantage of this opportunity to develop a new league that could exist independently from the WNBA. He argued that such a league, centered around Clark’s talents and personality, would be successful and help X grow as a media platform. “Who needs content? Elon Musk. Who’s trying to build a platform that rivals YouTube? Elon Musk,” Whitlock remarked.
While Whitlock’s vision of an “XX League” may seem ambitious, the idea taps into a larger trend of increasing support for women’s sports. The 2024 WNBA season, boosted by stars like Clark, has seen a rise in viewership and media attention. As athletes like Clark continue to break records and capture fans’ imaginations, there may be untapped potential for further growth in women’s basketball.
Whether Musk will heed Whitlock’s advice remains to be seen, but the concept of leveraging Clark’s stardom to boost X could align with Musk’s plans for expanding his platform’s influence. If Musk were to invest in creating a women’s basketball league, it could be a major step toward both supporting women’s sports and enhancing X’s presence in the media landscape.
