With 8 Powerful Words, Caitlin Clark Just Taught a Brilliant Lesson in Getting What You Want

This is a story about Caitlin Clark, the power of words, and how to get what you want.

This week, the WNBA announced that it’s changing a decades-old policy, and that its players will soon fly chartered jets, rather than commercial, during the regular season.

The week before, however, when the announcement was still in the future, one of Clark’s initial experiences flying commercial in the league went viral on social media.

The video of Clark, a rookie for the Indiana Fever who is already one of the WNBA’s most bankable stars, walking through an airport baggage claim like any other passenger (guarded by security but with fans approaching and tracking her), was striking.

WNBA fans have spoken out about the situation before — and some players have been subject to harrassment while traveling (like Brittney Griner, to name an obvious example).

But, this seemed like a moment when the league’s newfound fanbase realized that while the top women’s college basketball teams routinely fly on chartered jets, commercial flights have been the rule for three decades in the WNBA. (There have been some exceptions, like during the playoffs.) 

Clark was asked afterward how she felt having to travel in what most of us would agree is a little less luxury. Her words were powerful:

“At this point of my career and across the WNBA, it is what it is. 

I’m sure, certainly, everybody would say that they would love to be flying charter all the time – that definitely would help a lot of problems. 

But I think the Fever organization has done a really good job of getting out ahead of things. There’s going to be a lot of security traveling with us, there will be certain plans of how we’re going to navigate going throughout airports and things like that.” 

I thought she threaded the needle well at the time — humility coupled with just the right element of pressure. 

But, because of the eight words that I’ve highlighted above, I also thought it was pretty likely that the league would have to change its policy — which of course it has now done.

The explanation is pretty simple:

• First, the WNBA is getting much more attention beyond its traditional fan base, because of the elevation of NCAA players coming into the league as rookies, with Clark and perhaps Angel Reese at the head of the list. 
• Second, the league’s absolute nightmare would be if commercial travel woes negatively impacted its players — and especially, God forbid, if Clark or other players were the subject of true harassment or worse while traveling.
• But finally, whether it was her intent or simply her instinct, Clark’s statement did a fantastic job of officially telling the league publicly that there were “problems” with commercial travel, and that moving to charters “definitely would help.”

Can you imagine what would happen if, after Clark had so politely called out the WNBA over commercial travel, the league hadn’t found a way to offer charters — and something even more unfortunate happened to her or another player? 

Sometimes you can persuade people by explaining why adopting your position could be in their best interest.

But sometimes it’s easier to motivate by fear than by hope. And that means your words can be even powerful when you tap into what could go wrong, than what could go right. 

“I’m just super excited for the players who have been in this league for a really long time and have really deserved this for years and years and years,” Clark said after the WNBA announced the change, which is expected to be rolled out during the first month or so of the season, which begins next week, adding: “It’ll be great for us … I’m just very fortunate to come to this league and have this opportunity the first year that I’m here.”