SSince Sunday’s final of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament attracted more American television viewers than the men’s final for the first time in history, it has been hailed as a turning point for women’s sports in America. A vanguard of star players, including Connecticut’s Paige Bueckers, LSU’s Angel Reese and Southern California’s JuJu Watkins, have raised the profile of women’s sports to unprecedented heights in recent months while raising expectations about how all women’s sports can be covered. commodified and consumed, recalibrated.
But none have commanded the national consciousness as much as Caitlin Clark, the ponytailed talent from the University of Iowa whose modest 6-foot-4 height belies her outsized impact on college basketball and American sports in general.
The 22-year-old West Des Moines native, who earlier this year broke Pete Maravich’s 54-year-old record to become the all-time leading scorer in major college basketball history, carried Iowa all the way to the finals, repeatedly setting new benchmarks along the way for TV ratings. After the Hawkeyes were denied a storybook ending by South Carolina in Sunday’s title game despite Clark leading all scorers with 30 points, Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley had barely begun her victory speech at Cleveland’s Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse before paying tribute brought to the woman of the moment, proverb: “I would like to personally thank Caitlin Clark for taking our sport to the next level. She has carried a heavy burden for our sport and she will not stop there.”
Quick guide Caitlin Clark’s most beautiful moments
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Caitlin Clark’s most beautiful moments
November 12, 2019 – Dedication to the University of Iowa A child prodigy who first caught the attention of college programs when she was in seventh grade, Clark initially signed a letter of intent to play for two-time national champion Notre Dame before committing to the less prestigious Hawkeyes for a chance to get closer to something special to build at home. .
February 26, 2023 – Buzzer-beater to stun Indiana Clark’s national profile rose midway through her junior season when she sucked out a three-pointer at death to topple a Hoosiers team ranked second in the country.
March 31, 2023 – South Carolina’s perfect season in the Final Four is ruined Clark wasn’t just happy to be there after leading Iowa to the school’s first Final Four in three decades, but poured in 41 points, leading to a famous upset of a South Carolina team that entered the game undefeated participated.
February 15, 2024 – I become NCAA women’s basketball’s all-time scoring leader Needing just eight points to surpass Kelsey Plum as the NCAA women’s career leader, Clark made history in style in front of a raucous home crowd at Carver-Hawkeye Arena; she broke the record with one 35 feet logo three less than three minutes in and finished with a career-high 49 points in a rout of Michigan.
April 7, 2024 – A new viewing figure record is set for the third time in eight days After drawing a record 12.3 million American television viewers for their win over LSU in the Elite Eight, Clark and the Hawkeyes surpassed their own mark a few days later when their Final Four victory over UConn drew an audience of 14.2 million drew … and again with a viewership of 18.9 million for their NCAA title game with South Carolina.
It was the culmination of a transformative season, headlined by Clark, that saw women’s basketball penetrate the American mainstream like never before. The TV figures only tell half the story. Think of all the morning chat shows that dissect the stars, personalities and strengths in the women’s game after years of completely ignoring them. Or how the cheapest ticket on the resale market for Sunday’s title game exceeded $500 (£400) at tip-off, more than three times the asking price for Monday night’s men’s final. Or the more than 17,000 spectators who came to watch Iowa and South Carolina last Saturday in an open practice, forcing organizers to turn fans away by the time Clark and the Hawkeyes made it to court. Or the Saturday Night Live sketch that was about how Clark and co overshadowed the men’s tournament. When she broke the college scoring record, fans like Joe Biden, Billie Jean King, Jason Sudeikis, Mila Kunis, LeBron James and Tom Brady quickly congratulated her.
Hardcore basketball fans have known Clark since she emerged as one of the nation’s top-ranked recruits during a standout career at Dowling Catholic High School. After initially signing a letter of intent to play for two-time national champion Notre Dame, she reconsidered and committed to a lesser-heralded program for a chance to build something special closer to home, a choice that has endeared her forever made by Iowans. .
She wasted no time in making an impact, scoring 27 points in her debut and leading the Hawkeyes to the Sweet Sixteen as a freshman, but it wasn’t until last season that she made the jump to a household name.
Clark’s ability to score from anywhere outside midfield or create chances for her teammates while operating at an extremely fast pace makes for a playing style that is easy for casual spectators to understand. Her knack for draining three-pointers from the midfield logo has drawn comparisons to NBA star Stephen Curry, while her exceptional court vision and ability to reach any corner of the court with one hand make her nearly impossible to contain .
Since drawing a record 55,646 fans for a preseason game in October at an outdoor football stadium, Clark and the Hawkeyes became appointment attendees. Iowa’s win over LSU in the Elite Eight drew 12.3 million U.S. television viewers, making it one of the most-watched sporting events of the past year outside the NFL. Their Final Four matchup with Connecticut last Saturday night topped it, averaging 14.2 million viewers and peaking at 17 million, better than every World Series and NBA Finals last year.
Then came Sunday’s title game against South Carolina, which averaged 18.9 million viewers on ABC and ESPN. That number easily surpassed the 14.82 million average for UConn’s 75-60 win over Purdue in Monday’s men’s final on TBS and TNT.
There are reasons to believe women’s basketball can maintain this momentum. Schools are putting more money into women’s sports than ever before. Social media and new rules allowing student-athletes to capitalize on their name, image and likeness have allowed players to boost their star power like never before. The growth of conference networks and ESPN’s commitment to broadcasting games on its flagship channel have resulted in more televised regular season games than ever. The machinery that has made it possible to get players like Clark in front of viewers seems built to last.
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“It’s a moment, as people say, but it’s more than a moment, you know?” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said this last week. “Sometimes moments become minutes, and minutes become hours, and hours become days. And before you know it, it becomes part of the national pastime.
Women’s college basketball has always had great players at the top, from Cheryl Miller to Sheryl Swoopes to Lisa Leslie to Diana Taurasi to Candace Parker to Breanna Stewart to Sabrina Ionescu. But a deeper talent pool than ever before has created more stars and more excitement, expanding the sport’s reach to new audiences. They don’t watch because they’re told to support women’s sports, but the games are compelling on their own terms.
The question now is whether the excitement Clark is generating will continue when she joins the professional ranks during Monday night’s WNBA draft in Brooklyn, where she is expected to be selected by the Indiana Fever with the No. 1 overall pick. Early indications are positive: Two WNBA teams have already moved their games against Indiana to larger arenas to meet demand.
“I know her shoulders are heavy because of what she brings to women’s basketball. I just want to say that we are grateful. We are grateful she chose to play basketball,” Staley said Sunday. “We are grateful for the way she is handling all of this. Her next step is the WNBA – I think she can be the person to take us to the next level.”