Caitlin Clark proposes solutions to fixing the NBA, including hockey-style fights and 4 point line on New Heights Podcast

As the official Caitlin Clark blogger of TheLibertyLine, or you can also refer to me as the “Caitlin Clark merchant”, I especially had to chime in following her appearance on the New Heights Podcast.

In what was a very lively episode of the Kelce brothers show, Clark being the most requested guest in the history of their show, didn’t disappoint. They touched on a wide range of topics including some fresh new perspectives on the NBA’s declining TV ratings. Which is something that has been really pissing me off to be frank with you all.

With that said, Caitlin would be the perfect person to shed some light on this topic given how she took the basketball world by storm over the last year.

Caitlin Clark brainstorms ideas to improve the NBA on New Heights Podcast

Caitlin Clark on the NBA's drop in viewership:

"The average basketball fan doesn't understand how good NBA players are, and they think it looks like they're not trying… I promise you they're trying."pic.twitter.com/dU07Z9xc1y

— Front Office Sports (@FOS) January 2, 2025

While Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce proposed the idea of the four point line; (which I am not a fan of whatsoever), Caitlin then took the opportunity to take the brainstorming one step further.

What if the NBA adopted hockey-style fights? “Imagine a two-minute penalty box where players could return to the game without facing ejection,” Clark suggested, clearly intrigued by the possibility of a more aggressive, high-energy style of play.

In hockey, the penalty box system helps control on-ice behavior while keeping the game intense. Clark argued that a similar approach in the NBA could inspire players to compete with greater passion, potentially rekindling excitement for fans and boosting the game’s appeal.

Talent Pool the cause for NBA’s poor ratings?

Caitlin Clark’s main talking point for the NBA’s ratings being down is the talent pool. While I normally agree and stand with her in battle when it comes to certain things, this is one I don’t agree with. I think it’s a lazy narrative that the players today are far more talented than they’ve ever been, therefore they aren’t trying as hard?

Here’s what Caitlin had to say about the talent in the NBA: “I genuinely believe that many casual basketball fans don’t fully appreciate just how skilled NBA players are, leading them to mistakenly think the athletes aren’t trying hard enough. I assure you, they’re giving it their all.”

That last line is where I have the issue. The thing is, they are not giving it their all whatsoever. Players are sitting out of games, on minute restrictions, chucking three-point shots instead of attacking the basket; need I say more?

Regardless, Caitlin Clark was truly a gem on this podcast and her maturity for her age was on full display. Not to mention we got to see more of her playful nature with the Kelce brothers, which made for some really good back and fourths.

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