April 11, 2024 | OPINION | By Julia Decker
Iowa City, Iowa – The Hawkeyes had a tremendous season despite losing to the South Carolina Gamecocks at the 2024 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA’s) Division I Women’s Basketball Championship game.
The Hawkeyes reflected on their season, performance and viewership in a post-game press conference. “I don’t really get offended when people say ‘I never watched women’s basketball before,’” Caitlin Clark said. “I think, one, you’re a little late to the party, yes. But, two, that’s cool. We’re changing the game. We’re attracting more people to it.”
Clark broke multiple records during her season, earning her the title of highest-scoring player in women’s college basketball history. Her stellar performance during games amassed 14.2 million viewers for last Friday’s University of Connecticut (UConn)-Iowa match, a number never seen before.
The Hawkeyes played in the most-watched women’s college basketball game of all time during the Elite Eight matchup against Louisiana State University, until they entered the Final Four against UConn and shook things up again. Even Dawn Staley, South Carolina women’s basketball coach, thanked Clark for her influence on the sport in a victory speech after the championship.
“I want to personally thank Caitlin Clark for lifting up our sport,” Staley said. “She carried a heavy load for our sport, and it just is not gonna stop here on a collegiate tour, but when she is the No.1 in the WNBA Draft, she’s gonna lift that league up, as well.”
Clark may not have led the Hawkeyes to victory, but she consistently gives the game her all, no matter how tough the opponent may be. “At the end of the day, it’s a game of basketball. You give it everything you’ve got, but I have a lot of appreciation for the way our team has carried ourselves and all the stuff that we’ve established, and we’re going to give it everything we can to be able to go out there and be able to hoist the trophy tomorrow.” Clark said before Sunday’s NCAA national title game against South Carolina.
In the first quarter against South Carolina, she scored 18 points –– another record she set during the final. Clark’s college career legacy is evident in the millions of new fans she engaged in women’s basketball. She inspires people everywhere who want to tune in and now need to.
“The way people are not only showing up but cheering about the game and invested in the game, they understand the game, they know what’s going on. They’re passionate about it. To me, that’s the coolest thing.” Clark said.
In my opinion, Clark did for women’s college basketball what Larry Bird did back in the 1980s. Both brought the viewers to the forefront, ultimately creating a one-of-a-kind community. In 2024, the widespread viewership women’s college basketball has achieved is mindblowing, especially considering that the stigma against women’s sports remains. Clark has prompted more media coverage for women’s college basketball on every platform imaginable. The Louisiana State University (LSU)-Iowa face-off game had 12.3 million viewers, beating the World Series and every game of the 2023 National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals with the exception of Game 5.
Once Iowa beat LSU, viewers were locked in to see what happened next with UConn in the Final Four. With 14.2 million viewers, this match proves that Clark has changed the game, considering that viewership has increased by 89% since the 2023 title matchup and will keep going up.
Clark is a star, but these games wouldn’t be the same without some badass players on opposing teams. University of Southern California (USC)’s JuJu Watkins, UConn’s Paige Bueckers and LSU’s Angel Reese spearhead the change we see in women’s college basketball hype. They are commanding the long overdue public respect and attention women’s athletes deserve.
Clark’s impact on the sport doesn’t solely stem from her achievement as the highest-scoring player in NCAA college basketball history, surpassing Pete Maravich’s record of 3,667 points. Instead, she has changed the game by proving to kids everywhere, even young boys who idolize her, that the world of sports is evolving.
Assertive and dedicated female athletes are the norm as role models — and they are here to stay.