They call it … “The Caitlin Clark Effect.”
Sunday’s game between Iowa and Ohio State officially brought us the record-setter from Caitlin Clark, and a good chunk of Americans were witnesses, as over four million viewers tuned in to watch the game on TV, according to Fox Sports. Average viewership for the game was 3.39 million, with a peak of 4.42 million near the end of the second half.
The numbers make it the most-watched women’s regular-season game since 1999, when a UConn-Tennessee showdown averaged 3.88 million viewers, according to Sports Media Watch.
But the viewership numbers are only half the story.
In the course of the Hawkeyes’ 93-83 victory, Clark put up 35 points, passing Pete Maravich to become the all-time NCAA Division I career scoring leader across both men’s and women’s basketball. She broke the record with two free throws just prior to halftime.
Caitlin Clark’s Historic Feat Delivers Higher TV Ratings Than NBA Opening Night Games https://t.co/QseB3aCkal
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) March 5, 2024
Man, I can’t get over how insane the Caitlin Clark Effect is.
To put it even more into perspective, Sunday’s game was the second-most-watched college basketball game of the season (men’s or women’s) and the sixth-most-watched basketball game of the season (including the NBA), Sports Media Watch noted.
The only college game that brought in more viewers was the Michigan State-Arizona men’s matchup on Fox that came right after an NFL Thanksgiving game and racked up 5.18 million viewers, according to the outlet.
On top of that, the Iowa-Ohio State game was the most-watched basketball game of the day … meaning it topped the Boston Celtics-Golden State Warriors contest, which averaged 3.01 million viewers. (RELATED: The Caitlin Clark Effect: Iowa Hawkeyes Superstar Already Having Impact On WNBA Ticket Sales)
Just absolutely incredible … the Caitlin Clark Effect, everybody. Bask in it!