Caitlin Clark’s takeover good for Iowa and women’s college basketball, data shows
Caitlin Clark’s success has proven to be beneficial for more than just the Iowa’s women’s basketball program.
The Hawkeyes star captured the nation’s attention during last year’s NCAA tournament, but she remained in the spotlight because of her prolific shooting. In her final season, Clark became the all-time leading women's scorer and, eventually, the NCAA Division I overall career scoring leader.
Guard Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes celebrates with teammates during a presentation after breaking the NCAA women's all-time scoring record during the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on February 15, 2024 in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by (Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
Naturally, she declared for the WNBA Draft.
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But before beginning her pro career, Clark has unfinished business to attend to. That is to win a national championship, and fans can't seem to get enough.
According to the latest data collected by StubHub, Iowa women’s basketball is the platform’s most-searched NCAA basketball team for both the women’s and men’s, and ticket sales for women’s college basketball have increased overall by 75% when compared to last season.
Guard Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes signs autographs after the match-up against the Minnesota Gophers at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on December 30, 2023 in Iowa City, Iowa. (Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
"It's an exciting time for women's sports, especially with the momentum we're seeing in NCAA Women's basketball," StubHub spokesperson Adam Budelli told Fox News Digital in a statement.
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Clark’s takeover has undoubtedly drawn in more fans to the women’s game, but data shows that ticket prices have skyrocketed around the NCAA because of other stars like LSU’s Angel Reese and USC freshman phenom JuJu Watkins.
LSU Lady Tigers forward Angel Reese celebrates after defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes during the final round of the Women's Final Four NCAA tournament at the American Airlines Center. (Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports)
LSU’s sales have more than doubled on StubHub compared to last season, while the Trojan’s regular season ticket sales were up 18x compared to last year.
"Electrifying performances from Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and JuJu Watkins have brought a new level of excitement to the games and sales for Iowa, LSU and USC are up as much as 18x StubHub," Budelli said, adding that the data from this season "demonstrates that fans are recognizing and celebrating the incredible talent and skill of these phenomenal athletes, adding to the overall excitement of college sports."
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JuJu Watkins #12 of the USC Trojans is introduced before of the championship game against the Stanford Cardinal of the Pac-12 Conference women's basketball tournament at MGM Grand Garden Arena on March 10, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Candice Ward/Getty Images)
Will Clark finally win a national championship before being drafted? Can Reese help lead LSU to back-to-back titles? And how far will the freshman sensation, already the nation's second-leading scorer, make it in her first tourney?
Fans will surely show up and tune in to find out – just as they have all season long.
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