(ESPN )
(ESPN )Why are so many more people watching the NCAA Women’s College basketball tournament (also known as March Madness) this year and why, for the first time in Iowa Women’s Basketball history, are all of the 2023-2024 season tickets completely sold out? The answer is simple: the logo threes, the magician-like passes, the fiery competitive spirit that the crowd falls in love with. It’s Caitlin Clark.
There is a list of NCAA records Clark holds. However, she recently broke the Division I record for total points scored, surpassing men’s basketball record holder Pete Maravich’s 3,667 points. The record proves that Clark is one of the most prolific scorers in basketball. She has inspired a whole generation of young girls.
Fans can’t resist to watch the phenom. She has taken the basketball world by storm and can be seen featured in many commercials on TV. The Clark effect has not only produced more popularity for her and the Iowa Hawkeyes Women’s basketball team but all of women’s college basketball. Other players like LSU’s Angel Reese and UConn’s Paige Bueckers have also been brought into the spotlight with the new interest in women’s basketball.
Last year’s NCAA Women’s College Basketball National Championship between LSU and Iowa was the most viewed NCAA women’s basketball game on record, with 9.9 million viewers on ABC and ESPN2 (sportsvideo.org). At one point during the game, the audience reached 12.6 million (sportsvideo.org). The previous National Championship, where South Carolina defeated Uconn, averaged 4.85 million viewers on ESPN and ESPN2 (sportsvideo.org). The drastic increase proves how much the fandom has grown.
The Hawkeyes sold out or broke attendance records in 30 of their 32 away games this season (ncaa.org). Before the 2023-24 season officially started, Iowa broke the women’s basketball all-time attendance record for a single game with 55,646 fans in attendance for an exhibition game against DePaul in Kinnick Stadium. Kinnick Stadium is home to Iowa’s football team, but Clark managed to take it over and create an electric environment that was a monumental moment for women’s basketball.
The only accomplishment she hasn’t achieved yet in her young career is a National Championship. Fans are tuning into the NCAA Women’s College basketball tournament, eager to see Clark on her journey to conquer March Madness. Considering all that she has done on the court and for women’s basketball, it seems destined that she finishes her collegiate career with a National Championship.
