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Watch: Caitlin Clark's aerial tribute in Iowa lights up sky with drone show
Iowa has produced some terrific basketball players over the years but few have captured the hearts of the people the way Caitlin Clark has. The 22-year-old has evolved into one of the most popular figures in the state over the last few years. On Friday, Iowa fans paid tribute to one of their heroes with a spectacular drone show.
The National Balloon Classic in Indianola was the venue for the dazzling display honoring Clark. Fans that stuck around long enough got to see the former Hawkeyes guard light up the sky late in the evening.
The show starts with a basketball swishing through a net. After that evaporates into thin air, an image of Caitlin Clark can be seen with her hands spread in the air. Her jersey then lights up with the number 22, the number she wore with both the Hawkeyes and the Indiana Fever. Incase there were any doubts remaining, the name "Clark" then appears under the jersey.
Clark became a fan favorite at the University of Iowa after a series of brilliant displays on the court over her collegiate career.
The Iowa native has a long list of accolades to her name. She was named the AP Player of the Year twice (2023, 2024), won the John R. Wooden Award (2023, 2024) and was the Naismith College Player of the Year (2023, 2024). Clark led the nation in scoring in 2021, 2022 and 2024 and ranked first in assists from 2022-2024.
She broke several records at Iowa but perhaps her greatest achievement was overtaking LSU legend Pete Marovich as the all-time leading Division 1 scorer.
Under Clark's leadership, the program appeared in back-to-back National Championship games in 2023 and 2024.
The arrival of Caitlin Clark to the WNBA has seen attendance and viewership ratings soar
There was little doubt that Caitlin Clark would be the first overall pick coming into the 2024 WNBA draft but few could have imagined the instant impact she would have on the league. Attendance figures and viewership numbers have skyrocketed with the arrival of the talented sharpshooter.
The 2024 WNBA All-Star Game on ABC averaged 3.4 million viewers. That shattered the previous record set in 2003 and was the highest rating received at an All-Star Game since the league was founded in 1997.
In 2024, 16 games have surpassed the 1 million average viewership figure. The most watched game this year turned out to be the Indiana Fever versus Chicago Sky game on June 23. That matchup saw Clark go head-to-head with college rival Angel Reese.
Attendance figures have also shot up around the league and opposing teams have seen a spike in demand when Caitlin Clark comes to visit. The Indiana Fever surpassed the number of tickets they had sold in the entire 2022 and 2023 seasons after just seven home games in 2024.
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