Caitlin Clark is gearing up for her fourth and final March Madness ahead of the WNBA draft.
Caitlin Clark is a 22-year-old point guard for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes.
Her unprecedented popularity has been called the “Caitlin Clark effect.”
She’s converted that popularity to numerous endorsements and brand deals worth $3.1 million.
As the 2024 NCAA women’s basketball tournament kicks off, there’s one name you’ll likely hear a lot over the next two weeks: Caitlin Clark.
The 22-year-old point guard, who will play her final March Madness games this year as an Iowa Hawkeye before entering the 2024 WNBA draft, is well on her way to GOAT status.
With that comes millions of dollars worth of endorsements, a surge in popularity for women’s sports, and, almost certainly, a lot of pressure.Caitlin Clark made her college basketball debut in November 2020 — and immediately began breaking records.
Clark, who is from West Des Moines, Iowa, swiftly made an impact during her freshman season at the University of Iowa. As of now, among her many records and accolades, Clark is the NCAA Division I all-time scorer, a three-time All-American, a three-time Big Ten MOP (most outstanding player), and the 2023 AP Player of the Year.Her prowess on the court has proven valuable to her school.
For her senior season, tickets are almost 200% more expensive than they were last year, The New York Times reported, citing data from Vivid Seats, a ticket resale provider.
A record-breaking almost 10 million people watched her team play LSU in the NCAA finals last year, which LSU won 102-85.
A moment in the game between Clark and LSU star Angel Reese— when Reese taunted Clark with a gesture Clark herself had made multiple times — went viral, dominated headlines, and sparked a conversation about the double standard for Black athletes.Women’s sports are projected to generate more than $1 billion globally in 2024 — and stars like Clark are a major driving force.
In November, Deloitte released a report predicting that women’s sports revenue would hit $1.28 billion in 2024, up 300% from its 2021 forecast.
A tech analyst, Michael Pachter, told The New York Times, “You do need women like Caitlin Clark who are so great that you can’t miss them.”
In January 2024, the NCAA signed a $920 million deal with ESPN to broadcast women’s March Madness, where Clark will undoubtedly leave it all on the court.
NCAA President Charlie Baker told the Associated Press the deal is worth $115 million annually, which is 300% more than its previous deal with ESPN.
