In 2025, the conversation around women’s sports has never been louder or more misdirected. Too often, narratives frame women’s success by comparing it to men’s achievements. Like the ongoing viral takes comparing Caitlin Clark’s skills to NBA players, or suggesting she “couldn’t cut it” in the men’s league.
This constant need to validate a woman’s greatness by asking, “Could she play against men?” misses the point. Caitlin Clark isn’t redefining basketball because she might compete with NBA players, she’s redefining it because she’s changed the entire landscape of her league.
This portrait needs to go. Women’s sports deserve their own space, not validation through male metrics.
One clear example is women’s college basketball. The 2024 NCAA Women’s Final Four broke records, drawing 18.7 million viewers for the title game between South Carolina and Iowa.
It became the most-watched women’s college basketball game in history. Still, many headlines framed it as “outdrawing the men” or “beating NBA playoff numbers.”
Why must women’s success be framed by beating men’s benchmarks? Why not let the numbers speak for themselves?
Caitlin Clark: The WNBA Steph Curry
Does Caitlin Clark need to be the “Steph Curry” of the women’s game? Or can she just be Caitlin Clark?
Yes, comparisons can be flattering, but most times, these comparisons ignore context. They reduce distinct achievements to reflections of male ones.
Athletes and advocates are pushing back. Megan Rapinoe has long challenged this type of media framing.
“We’re not trying to be the men’s game,” she said at the 2023 Time100 Summit. “We’re asking to be seen as equal in value.”
That idea is growing. Take the launch of Unrivaled, a new women’s pro basketball league.
Founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, it embraces its own style, format, and purpose. It isn’t trying to copy the NBA.
“This isn’t about matching up with the men,” Collier told The Athletic. “It’s about carving our own lane.”
In tennis, Coco Gauff’s 2023 U.S. Open win ignited similar comparisons. Many headlines called her “the next Federer”
But Gauff pushed back. “I’m just trying to be Coco,” she said. That clarity speaks volumes.
It’s not about rejecting male athletes. It’s about letting women stand on their own terms.
Constant comparison flattens what makes women’s sports compelling: strategy, storytelling, community, and cultural impact. It’s a different product, not a lesser one.
Growth In Women’s Sport
Meanwhile, the growth is undeniable. Women’s soccer leagues in the U.S., England, and Spain are booming. NIL deals for college athletes are exploding, especially for women.
Former LSU stars Angel Reese and Livvy Dunne are among the most marketable names in sports. And they didn’t get there by mimicking men.
Despite this momentum, media coverage still lags. Recent news shows women’s sports get just 15% of sports media attention.
That figure hasn’t changed much in 30 years. Underexposure breeds underestimation.
To change that, the media must invest in telling these stories. On their own terms, not as a reaction to the men’s side.
Celebrate the games, the players, the history being written without needing male comparison as a measuring stick.
Women’s sports are not spin-offs. They are full stories.
Let’s tell them like it.
Related: 10 Reasons Why the Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese “Rivalry” Is Great for Basketball
