Caitlin Clark reacts to record-setting ratings numbers for national championship

Sunday’s women’s national championship did not go the way Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark wanted it to on the court. As her Hawkeyes fell in the national title game for a second straight season, this time in an 87-75 loss to South Carolina.

But off the court in regards to viewership, Clark couldn’t be more happy with the results. Yet again playing a crucial in the growth of women’s basketball as Sunday’s game set a new television record. With 18.7 million people tuning into ABC for Iowa and South Carolina’s national championship matchup to set a new all-time high for women’s college basketball.

Clark reacted to the news via social media on Monday in a tweet that can be seen below.

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Last year’s national championship between Iowa and LSU became the most-watched women’s national championship game. With 12.6 million people tuning in for Clark and Angel Reese‘s epic and memorable showdown. But this season Clark and the sport’s popularity as a whole only continued to grow even more in a monumental year, as viewership of this season’s title game increased 89% from last year and a whopping 285% from 2022.

The audience numbers are historical beyond women’s college basketball as well, with Sunday’s title game becoming the most-watched game basketball game since 2019. Including men’s college games and all professional basketball games. Also representing the most-watched sporting event outside of football and the Olympics since 2019 as well. Peaking at a whopping 24 millions viewers during this season’s title game.

Sunday’s 18.7 million viewer figure surpasses the previous records set during this year’s tournament after Iowa and LSU’s Elite Eight matchup became the most watched women’s college game with 12.3 million viewers before Iowa and UConn‘s Final Four game set a new bar with 14.2 million viewers.

It’s no secret that the Iowa Hawkeyes have had their fingerprints all over women’s basketball’s record-breaking numbers, and more specifically Caitlin Clark. Whose play style and personality have helped elevate the game to historic heights after regularly selling out home and away games this season and becoming the all-time leading scorer across men’s and women’s college basketball.

Clark has a lengthy list of awards, accolades, and records she’s achieved during her monumental four-year career with Iowa. But the way she’s been able to bring an unprecedented amount of attention and conversation around the women’s game may be her biggest accomplishment. So much so that even the opposing coach of the national championship game, Dawn Staley, recognized her following South Carolina’s championship win.

“I want to personally thank Caitlin Clark for lifting up our sport,” Staley said on the court after the national championship. “She carried a heavy load for our sport and it just is not going to stop here on the collegiate tour, but when she is the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft, she’s going to lift that league up as well.”

“So Caitlin Clark, if you’re out there, you are one of the GOATs of our game,” Staley added. “We appreciate you.”