Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes have set women’s college basketball on a new course.
Clark stole the show during the women’s Final Four weekend, arguably garnering more attention than the men’s tournament.
Caitlin Clark, #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes, dribbles the ball against the Louisiana State Tigers during the 2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament National Championship at American Airlines Center on April 2, 2023, in Dallas, Texas. (Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
After losing to LSU in the national championship game, fans of the sport immediately began looking toward next season, when Clark will be a senior in Iowa City.
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The return of the 2023 Wooden Award winner has forced the University of Iowa to pause the selling of season tickets for the 2023-24 season as demand is through the roof, according to the Des Moines Register.
“We’re going to do our best so that those fans who want to support women’s basketball at Iowa get that opportunity,” said Matt Henderson, Iowa’s deputy director of athletics for external relations.
Last season, Iowa sold 6,500 season tickets, and the school had received 6,700 new season ticket requests as of Tuesday.
Caitlin Clark, #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes, celebrate a win over the South Carolina Gamecocks during the semifinals of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Final Four at American Airlines Center on March 31, 2023, in Dallas, Texas. (Justin Tafoya/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
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With an arena capacity of 15,056, the 13,200 projected season tickets would not include tickets for visiting teams or students.
The school will come up with a maximum number of season tickets it will sell for next season during the pause. Once the number is determined, the school will give current season ticket holders the first opportunity to select their seats.
“We want to get as many season tickets into the hands of those who have a passion for attending women’s basketball and Hawkeye athletic events,” Henderson said.
Clark is a superstar, and her presence in the tournament did wonders for the women’s game.
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Caitlin Clark, #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes, reacts after a three-point basket during the fourth quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the 2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game at American Airlines Center on March 31, 2023, in Dallas, Texas. (Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
The national championship game was the most-viewed women’s college basketball game on record, with 9.9 million viewers tuning in, according to ESPN.
Clark will be eligible to enter the WNBA Draft in 2024, though she could use her COVID-19 fifth year of eligibility.
“I have another year here [Iowa] and possibly one more after that just because of that. I probably will have to make a decision on that sometime next year. I really have no clue what I’m going to do. Stay for an extra year or leave after next year,” Clark said on “The Dan Patrick Show” in February.
