Caitlin Clark’s Massive Impact on Iowa Ticket Sales Revealed
![Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates in the final seconds of a second-round NCAA Tournament game between Iowa and West Virginia, Monday, March 25, 2024 at Carver Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates in the final seconds of a second-round NCAA Tournament game between Iowa and West Virginia, Monday, March 25, 2024 at Carver Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_2984,h_1678,x_0,y_1031/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/inside_the_hawkeyes/01jjsp1zwsa19sy64xc1.jpg)
While the Iowa Hawkeyes' remember the incredible women's basketball run from 2022 to 2024, fans can finally see how large of an impact star point guard Caitlin Clark had on the university.
Iowa Hawkeyes writer Scott Dochterman published a piece on Wednesday about the Hawkeyes' women's basketball team, claiming that the program sold a school-record $1.4 million in tickets during the 2022-23 season.
"In 2022-23, the Iowa women’s basketball program sold $1.4 million in tickets, which was a school record at the time," wrote Dochterman."The Athletic obtained Iowa’s 2024 fiscal year statement through state open-records laws."
The Hawkeyes, under head coach Lisa Bluder, were one of the most exciting team in college basketball during the 2022-23 season. Blunder's squad finished the season with a 31-7 record, which included an incredible NCAA Tournament run. Iowa managed to take down the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Final Four, but were unable to defeat LSU Tigers in the National Championship.
With Clark returning for her senior season, the Hawkeyes were able to shatter the team's pervious ticket sale during the program's 2023-24 campaign, according to Dochterman.
"In addition, the 2023-24 season marked the first time Iowa’s women’s basketball program outsold the men, which slumped by more than $500,000 to $2.9 million in ticket sales."
As the popularity continued to grow around Clark and the Hawkeyes, the team continued to dominate the college basketball world. Iowa would go on to make the National Championship for a second-consecutive season, but fell short to South Carolina. Despite the loss, Clark averaged 30.1 points 8.9 assists during the team's 2023-24 stint.
Her outstanding career with the Hawkeyes led her to being the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever. Clark was named the WNBA 2024 Rookie of the Year after averaging 19.2 points and 8.4 assists in her first season with the Fever.