Chantell Preston, a co-founder and owner of the incoming League One Volleyball (LOVB) franchise San Francisco Signal, has defended the WNBA's approach to managing the surge in popularity brought by player Caitlin Clark. Preston, who also holds a stake in LOVB, stated that Clark's impact on women's sports has been invaluable, drawing record viewership and attendance to the WNBA.
"Caitlin Clark’s done some phenomenal things for women’s sports as a whole," Preston told OutKick. "What Caitlin Clark has been able to do and the visibility that she’s brought to the WNBA has been invaluable to not just the WNBA, but all sports."
While acknowledging that no situation is perfect, Preston believes the league has handled the increased attention well, despite some "areas of opportunity." She suggested that the WNBA should focus on promoting multiple players and their contributions rather than solely on one individual. Preston emphasized the importance of "visibility and storytelling" to highlight the athletes' achievements.
Preston pointed to the WNBA's recent viewership numbers, noting that games featuring Caitlin Clark have consistently broken television ratings records. For instance, a game on August 23 averaged 3.31 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, becoming the most-watched regular-season WNBA game since 1997. Another July game averaged 2.64 million viewers, the second-largest audience of that season.
Beyond her defense of the WNBA's strategy, Preston views women's sports as a promising business venture. She explained that her investment in LOVB was driven by its potential for return on investment, challenging the notion that investing in women's sports is purely charitable. "When I’m looking at businesses to invest in, I’m looking at where can I get the best return on my investment?" she said. "For a long time, people say, ‘Oh, well, invest in women. It’s charity.’ No, it’s not."
LOVB, set to begin play, has announced expansion franchises and is scheduled to start play in 2027. Preston is optimistic about volleyball's growth, citing its status as the number one girls' sport in the U.S. and its popularity during the Olympics. She also highlighted the league's ownership structure, where team owners also hold a stake in the league, ensuring alignment in success.
Preston believes the sustainability of this growth across women's sports hinges on the commitment of brands and media companies. "If the brands and the media come together and realize that there’s a great opportunity to support women’s sport, I think that to me shows sustainability across the board," she stated. LOVB aims to build its brand by highlighting the stories of its players to create household names and drive engagement.