She’s not the “new Michael Jordan,” nor is she the “female Steph Curry.” She’s just Caitlin Clark.
The Iowa basketball star has changed women’s basketball forever. Her record-chasing scoring barrage has everyone on the edge of their seats, though the pursuit will be over soon. That won’t stop fans from tuning in to see the legendary Hawkeye go after conference and national titles, though.
This season especially, Clark’s solidified her place as a household name, something that seemed far-fetched just a few years ago. For those around her, they knew better than to doubt the Iowa star. Now, the world is watching Clark be Clark amid her historic season.
Here’s the “Clark Effect” by the numbers, including attendance and TV ratings.
MORE: Tracking Caitlin Clark’s path to become Division I’s all-time scoring leader
Iowa women’s basketball attendance
Iowa started the season off with a bang when it played in front of 55,646 fans in Kinnick Stadium. October’s defeat of DePaul set an NCAA women’s basketball attendance record that was set in 2002.
Since then, Iowa has helped teams break their own program records. All of their road games have been sellouts, and schools that host Iowa have attendance increases of 150 percent, according to the AP.
In January’s matchup at Ohio State, the Buckeyes set their attendance record with 18,660 fans. They all rushed the court following the overtime defeat of the then-No. 2 Hawkeyes. Just 10 days later, Iowa traveled to Northwestern, and the Wildcats had their first-ever sellout in Welsh-Ryan Arena. Though it was a Hawkeye win, 7,039 fans — thousands more than the program’s average — were part of the Caitlin Clark Effect.
Iowa’s third loss of the season came at Nebraska. A record-15,042 fans watched as Clark chased, and narrowly missed, breaking Kelsey Plum’s scoring record.
MORE: Caitlin Clark’s shooting goes cold to delay record celebration
By the end of the season, all but two of Iowa’s games will be sellouts or break attendance records.
𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲.
By the end of the regular season, 30 of our 32 games will have been in front of a sold-out crowd or broken a venue attendance record. #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/DsJqN8Ou3Q
— Iowa Women’s Basketball (@IowaWBB) January 30, 2024
Iowa women’s basketball TV viewership
For the millions of fans who can’t make it to Clark’s games, watching on television is the way to go.
On Feb. 3, 1,578,000 viewers watched Maryland take on the Hawkeyes on Fox. It was the most-watched women’s college basketball game ever on the network — until eight days later. On Super Bowl Sunday, the Huskers-Hawkeyes matchup broke the Fox viewership record with 1,772,000 fans tuned in.
Iowa women’s basketball hit 1.93 million viewers, too, when it played Ohio State weeks earlier on NBC and Peacock. The game peaked at 3.9 million during the Buckeyes’ overtime victory.
Sunday’s Iowa-Ohio State overtime thriller on NBC and @peacock is the most-watched regular season women’s college basketball game since 2010.
Details here: https://t.co/FiBA74QBWe pic.twitter.com/brbdZkP7mH
— NBC Sports PR (@NBCSportsPR) January 23, 2024
To track Clark’s scoring record, Fox even created a “CaitlinCam” to keep an eye on No. 22 on TikTok. Sports Business Journal reported the experimental feed hit 150,000 views during the Maryland game, and the highlights reached 800,000 views.
Caitlin Clark jersey sales
Sales for a Clark jersey or t-shirt began to soar during March Madness in 2023. Even almost a year later, people continue to vie for Clark memorabilia.
“We’re constantly making sure we have enough stock, especially for the kids. They seem to be the most excited about wearing Caitlin’s number,” said Tracy Brodrick, director of the Iowa Hark Shop & Bookstore. Once Clark breaks the scoring record, the store will add commemorative t-shirts to the site overnight and to the store a few days later. Those shirts will be shipped out to fans all over the country, not just in Iowa City.
MORE: The ‘wow’ moment: When coaches, media knew Caitlin Clark was different
Clark is one of four college basketball players to have a true Nike jersey replica. Prior to the season, the company collaborated with Clark, Paige Bueckers, JuJu Watkins, and Bronny James, who all play at Nike schools, to sell custom jerseys at $ 90 each. Clark signed a sponsorship with Nike before her junior season.
It’s no surprise that most fans at Iowa games, rooting for the Hawkeyes or not, are sporting Clark’s number.
Caitlin Clark shirts/jerseys everywhere here in Nebraska. Another sold out crowd on the road to see if she can break the all-time scoring record today (she’s 39 points away).
Fans arrived early, early to watch her warm up. pic.twitter.com/Qi3cjOH9t5
— Laken Litman (@LakenLitman) February 11, 2024
Iowa women’s basketball ticket prices
Hoping to see Clark in real life? Get in line — and prepare to pay the price.
Iowa’s game versus Michigan, where Clark will presumably break Plum’s NCAA scoring record, has a get-in price of $ 284. The most expensive tickets are reportedly going for an upward of $ 10,125.
MORE: Iowa vs. Michigan women’s basketball tickets: Cost to see Caitlin Clark chase scoring record
Even against a team like Northwestern, who is second-to-last in the Big Ten standings, prices soar for a game against Iowa. The cheapest ticket for the Jan. 31 matchup was still $ 200. Season tickets retailed for less than $ 40 each, and the lowest prices for individual games average $ 1.25.
