"The only prescription is more Caitlin Clark": Analyst claims $3.4M NIL-valued superstar can curb WNBA "Fever" as Indiana sees spike in ticket sales
With WNBA Draft 2024 upon us, there is excitement among fans, especially about the destination of stars from women's college basketball. One of the highly anticipated picks is Iowa's Caitlin Clark, who is coming off a historic season and has penned her name in scoring records.
Caitlin Clark, whose NIL value stands at $3.4 million per On3, declared for the 2024 WNBA Draft on March 1st, 2024, just before March Madness. She is expected to go first overall to the Indiana Fever. Only the mere projection has worked for Indiana, as they have already noticed the rise in their ticket sales as a result of the "Caitlin Clark Effect."
Last season, Indiana only televised one match on national television. However, with the news of Caitlin Clark, they have decided to televise almost every match Clark plays in. This is being done because of the hype Caitlin Clark has generated in the recently concluded NCAA Tournament.
Acknowledging this, Mike McCarthy, a famous analyst, talked on Front Office Sports Today about how smart of a strategy it is to take the WNBA to new heights.
"It's a very smart media strategy. The WNBA has a fever, and the only prescription is more of Caitlin Clark right now," McCarthy said.
"I think it's a great idea. She's a new star. You get her out there on National TV as much as possible, and you try to tap in to this incredible fever and excitement around her in the women's basketball game as soon as she starts. I'm all for it."
The "Caitlin Clark Effect," as previously mentioned, is not new. This is from the time when her games broke all-time records in terms of average viewers in college basketball.
Even the final against South Carolina averaged 18.9 million viewers, as compared to 14.4 million average viewers in the men's finals between Purdue and UConn.
However, Caitlin Clark lost her only chance to secure her and her program's first-ever NCAA title to South Carolina with a score of 75-87.
However, she scored 30 points in the loss. She was phenomenal throughout the season for the Iowa Hawkeyes and was the key player in their March Madness run.
Caitlin Clark wins the Wooden Award 2024
After winning the Naismith Women's Basketball Player of the Year 2024, Caitlin Clark has now won the Wooden Award 2024. The all-time Division I top scorer had an amazing 2023–24 season and was given the title of one of the GOATs of the game by many.
She averaged 31.6 points and 8.9 assists throughout the season. She also boasted a field-goal percentage of 45.5% and a free-throw percentage of 86.6%. With the WNBA Draft 2024 declaration, she is expected to be the overall No. 1 pick for the Indiana Fever.