Elevating Women's Basketball: The Impact of Caitlin Clark's Game-Changing Journey

Caitlin Clark is on the Iowa Hawkeyes' court, surrounded by 15,000 fans and three million TV viewers. She shoots a free throw, effortlessly making it. The crowd goes wild.

Earlier this month, Clark surpassed the all-time college basketball scoring record for both men and women, propelling her into the sport's hall of fame.

At the age of 22, Clark has been having a remarkable season, attracting a surge of interest in women's basketball as March Madness kicks off this week.

NBA star Steph Curry called her record-breaking performance “must-see TV” in an interview with CBS earlier this month.

Viewers apparently agree.

This year, women's college basketball has had an exceptional regular season, attracting an average of 476,000 viewers on ESPN platforms. This marks a 37% increase in viewership compared to previous seasons.

The audience for women's college basketball has grown significantly, with a more than 60% increase across all national networks. Specifically, games shown on the network have seen a 48% increase in viewership. Interestingly, women's college basketball is now drawing a larger audience than men's basketball, as noted by Michael Mulvihill, president of insight and analytics at Fox Sports.

Clark, a six-foot senior known for her shooting and passing skills, has significantly boosted viewership numbers, according to Jon Lewis, the founder of Sports Media Watch. Lewis likened her impact to that of basketball legends like Curry, LeBron James, and Michael Jordan.

Lewis explained, "These are the players who draw in viewers and capture people's attention like no other players can."

Clark's impressive final-season stats not only surpassed Pete Maravich's record but also draw comparisons to Curry's last season at Davidson. She is currently averaging 31.9 points per game and shooting 38% from three-point range, while Curry averaged 28.6 points and 39% from deep.

The growth of college women's basketball is evident through the increasing TV ratings.

While Clark may be captivating audiences, women's college basketball is experiencing a surge in popularity that goes beyond just "Clarkonomics," as basketball analyst Debbie Antonelli coined it. The growth in interest coincides with a broader increase in the visibility of women's sports.

This rise can be attributed to enhanced TV coverage, including airing games on major networks and during prime time slots. Additionally, young female athletes have utilized the platform of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) to earn income through sponsorships, among other contributing factors.

Iowa and Clark have been part of six of the top 10 most-watched women's basketball games this season, each attracting over one million viewers, according to data from SportsMediaWatch. The most-watched game this season surpassed any women's college basketball game since 1999, when a UConn and Tennessee rivalry game had an average of 3.88 million viewers.

While traditional fans have always been familiar with powerhouse programs like UConn and Tennessee, there has been a recent shift in focus towards emerging stars, noted Melissa Isaacson, an assistant professor of sports journalism at Northwestern. Last year's championship game, which drew nearly 10 million viewers, brought attention to Iowa's Clark and LSU's Angel Reese, capturing the interest of the nation.

Lewis attributed the increase in popularity of women's college basketball to the increased media coverage of women's sports. As an example, this year marks only the third time that the NCAA has used the "March Madness" branding for the women's tournament.

Lewis mentioned that a key focus is making women's games more accessible for viewers. He highlighted the genuine growth in the women's game beyond individual players like Caitlin Clark, setting it apart from other women's sports.

According to TickPick, as of March 19, fans have shown significantly more interest in purchasing tickets for the women's final compared to the men's final.

NIL empowers players — and their sports

College women’s basketball players are among the biggest players in the market for Name, Image and Likeness sponsorships.

College women's basketball players are emerging as key players in the Name, Image, and Likeness sponsorship market. NIL is still relatively new, with football players currently earning the most, but female basketball players are also securing significant sponsorships.

Sponsorships for college women’s basketball are expected to hit $60 million by the end of the third year of NIL, based on information from Opendorse, a platform that connects athletes with sponsors.

Despite having large followings, women’s basketball stars like Clark, Reese, Cameron Brink, and Paige Bueckers are not as widely recognized as top men’s college players such as Reed Sheppard, Rob Dillingham, and Cody Williams, who may be heading to the NBA draft this year.

Dillingham leads the pack with 669,000 Instagram followers among the men's players, while Clark and Bueckers each have over a million. Reese stands out with an impressive 2.7 million followers.

Sam Weber, Opendorse's head of communications, stated that these deals have not only made a significant impact on the individuals but also brought more attention to their sports.

There was talk that Clark might decide to stay in college instead of joining the WNBA draft to keep her profitable NIL deals. For instance, UConn's Bueckers opted to stay for an extra year due to the league's extension of eligibility for players impacted by Covid-19.

Will this increased interest lead to success in the WNBA?

Many people speculated that Clark might choose to stay in college because the WNBA doesn't have the same level of exposure as women's college basketball.

Last year, Clark and Reese played in front of nearly 10 million viewers during the college championship game. In comparison, Game 4 of the WNBA finals had a peak viewership of 1.3 million, with an average of 889,000 viewers. Throughout the full four-game series, the average viewership was 728,000, according to data from Sports Media Watch.

The WNBA has historically had a smaller audience compared to college women's basketball. This is partly because the league is relatively newer, starting in 1997, while several college women's programs had already built strong fan bases by then.

However, college stars have shown the potential to attract large audiences to the WNBA. For example, Diana Taurasi, a five-time Olympic gold medalist, the all-time scoring leader in the WNBA, and a three-time WNBA champion, drew a significant audience for her first game in 2004. In fact, it was the most-watched game on ESPN/ABC, as reported by Lewis.

Candace Parker, a three-time WNBA champion and two-time gold medalist, drew large audiences in her first game in 2008, according to Lewis.

Ticket prices to watch the Indiana Fever, the team looking to pick Clark as their No. 1 in the WNBA draft, have more than doubled.

Clark's college career could reach its peak with a national title. If she doesn't achieve that, she will still have made a significant impact on the college game and gained many new fans.

Editor's P/S:

The rise of Caitlin Clark and the surge in popularity of women's college basketball are not only a testament to the exceptional talent of individual athletes but also a reflection of the broader shift towards increased visibility and recognition of women's sports. As TV coverage expands, young female athletes gain prominence, and platforms like NIL empower players, women's basketball is attracting a wider audience and capturing the attention of fans who may have previously overlooked the sport. This growing interest has the potential to create a positive feedback loop, leading to further investment in women's athletics and fostering a more inclusive and equitable sports landscape.

However, it is important to recognize that while the growth of women's college basketball is encouraging, there is still a need for continued progress in terms of media coverage, equal opportunities, and support for professional leagues like the WNBA. By addressing these challenges and building upon the momentum created by stars like Clark, we can ensure that women's sports receive the recognition and support they deserve, allowing talented athletes to showcase their skills and inspire generations to come.