The player’s mere presence leaves a trail of sold-outs wherever she plays.
Caitlin Clark warms up before the game against Maryland.
Caitlin Clark is a phenomenon on the court. The talent and charisma of the Iowa Hawkeyes’ point guard have revolutionized NCAA women’s basketball to such a degree that fans flock to their games, which has brought some unexpected consequences.
Among the most obvious results of Clark’s popularity are the sold-out stadiums at every Hawkeyes game. Regardless of whether it is at home or away, any of Iowa’s games is a guaranteed sellout, which fattens the pockets of the teams and the league.
The player’s influence on the NCAA’s finances has reached such a degree that some have called this unexpected phenomenon “Clarkonomics,” comparing it to the boom that Taylor Swift has unleashed in the NFL.
The NCAA is more than pleased with how Clark has revolutionized women’s basketball. She and Angel Reese of the LSU Tigers have revitalized women’s basketball in ways no one expected. However, not everyone has benefited from this boom.
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The consequences for fans
On the flip side of the coin is how packed stadiums and Clark’s popularity have impacted ticket prices.
A clear example of this is the Hawkeyes’ visit to Nebraska on February 11. With 3,462 career points, Clarke is on the verge of breaking Kelsey Plum’s career record of 3,527 points, and most expect it to happen in the game against the Cornhuskers.
The stadium is sold out already, and resale tickets start at $145, plus other general admission fees. Tickets at the court level are at least $1,000, and resale will increase these rates as the date gets closer.
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How did we get to this?
Clark’s charisma is a fundamental part of her popularity. The other big part is her talent, which began to show in the 2023 Finals when the point guard had 41-point games back-to-back in the Elite Eight and the Final Four.
The final match put her face to face with LSU’sReese, and although the Tigers won the title, Clark did not go unnoticed, and an image of her and Angel Reese together stood as testimony to the meteoric rise in popularity for both players.
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