Throughout 2024 we heard about the "Caitlin Clark effect" — the phenomenon that followed the top overall draft pick from college at Iowa to the Indiana Fever, an energy responsible for a historic WNBA season. But are you ready for the "Kate Martin effect" in the Bay Area? Because that's what Valkyries fans are already pushing for.
Despite the fact that the team's roster hasn't been finalized (and won't be until after the draft next year), it seems pretty clear that Martin intends to be a leader for the Valkyries. As she told ESPN after the Expansion Draft, "This league is all about opportunity and you just need one shot. I'm very thankful for the Aces and everything I got to learn there, but I'm excited for this new team and to build something from the ground up."
Good things come to those who (don’t) wait.
— ShopValkyries (@ShopValkyries) December 8, 2024
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After the team shared an update on Instagram and X about items available in their online store Sunday, fans immediately clamored for one item: a Kate Martin jersey. One asked, "when can we get kate martin jerseys??" on Instagram, a comment that was immediately followed by a second, "Waiting for that #20 jersey 🍸."
"Let us know when the kate martin jersey drops" another person commented before a fourth person asked, "When does the Kate merch go on sale?"
Like Clark did for the Fever, Martin brought a hefty fan base to the Las Vegas Aces after she was selected as a second round pick in this year's draft. Martin was so popular that her jersey sales soon surpassed those of A'ja Wilson, undisputedly the league's best player, this year.
Clark's overall impact on the WNBA and women's basketball cannot be overstated. Her leap into the public consciousness resulted in a 300% increase in TV viewership of WNBA games, an increase in ticket sales and game attendance across the league, and Clark was solely responsible for 26.5% of economic activity within the league in just one season).
It will be interesting to see how far Martin's light will shine on the Valkyries. As one of the most well-known members of the team (and arguably the most active on social media), she is bound to bring new and returning fans to games. After all, a flight from Vegas to San Francisco is under two hours long, and the drive can be made in under 10. The fanbase is clearly already there, so it's all just about how the Valkyries end up taking advantage of it.
One thing is clear: the people yearn for those #20 jerseys, and it might be in the team's best interest to go ahead and give them up.