The Caitlin Clark Effect has made women's basketball the most popular sport around the world

The scene was described as “controlled chaos”.

Dozens of people walked around the block and corner to get into the sports bra in Portland, Oregon, the world's first bar to exclusively showcase women's sports, according to owner Jenny Newgen. We formed a line around the bend.

The fact that it was the middle of a Monday didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd, nor did it put off drinking the usual “triple” drinks.

They were there to watch the epic women's college basketball tournament game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and LSU Tigers, headlined by superstars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.

More than 12 million viewers tuned in, from sports bra fans to celebrities LeBron James and Travis Scott. It was the most-watched game in college basketball history for both women's and men's games.

“It was emotional,” Newgen said, recalling the atmosphere when the University of Iowa defeated Louisiana State University, with Clark scoring a whopping 41 points.

“I've been watching women's basketball for decades, and I feel like everyone else is just catching up…It's really time,” she added.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has hosted the basketball tournament known as March Madness since 1939.

In just three weeks, 68 of the best college teams will be narrowed down to one champion.

This annual event generates a media frenzy and millions of fans watch the games non-stop for days on end.

For decades, it applied only to men's tournaments. No more.

Ticket prices for this year's women's championships were on average twice as expensive as for the men's, reaching $11,000 (£8,736).

Front Office Sports reporter Amanda Kristovich said part of the reason for this “watershed moment in women's basketball” is generational talent like Iowa State's Caitlin Clark.

Another is that the push for gender equality in college sports is reaching new heights, she said.

In 2024, the NCAA signed a television deal with ESPN that values ​​the women's tournament at $65 million annually, more than 10 times the previous amount. Less than five years ago, you couldn't even watch every game of the Women's NCAA Tournament on national television.

A bigger stage gave bigger stars an even bigger platform. And Clark, arguably the biggest name in the sport right now, has been a major driver of recent buzz.

The senior has scored more than 3,900 points in her career, more than any other college athlete, male or female, in NCAA history.

Kaitlin Clark is a 22-year-old Iowa State guard who makes headlines and captivates fans with her trash talk, considered one of the greatest basketball players in school history.

She wins the game. Lots of games. Break records. There are many records. And the stadium is filled with people waiting to see her.

Many hope to witness her famous long-range three-point shot.

Standing dozens of feet from the basket, sometimes in the middle of the court, she shoots the ball easily over her opponent's head. That distance often exceeds the average distance for female college athletes.

Clark recently broke the record for most 3-pointers in a season held by professional player Stephen Curry.

With over 1 million followers on Instagram, her star power is drawing many new fans to the sport. Her people travel thousands of miles and spend thousands of dollars just to see her.

The phenomenon caused by her influence is called the Caitlin Clark effect.

Similar to Taylor Swift, her appearances not only drive up ticket prices, but also push up prices at balloon hotels and strain reservation lists at nearby restaurants.

“She's a once-in-a-generation athlete. She's unbelievable. She's viral,” Kristovic said. “She’s the person that introduced a lot of people to women’s college basketball this year.”

But Kristovich added: “Twenty years ago, would Caitlin Clark have been as popular as she is now? Probably not.”

“It's not because she wasn't that good. It's because people weren't paying attention,” she said.

For decades, the women's tournament has been “treated like a second-class event,” Ms Kristovic said.

For example, the women's tournament will not be allowed to use the NCAA's trademarked March Madness logo until the 2022 season. And until recently, it was difficult to find on TV, Kristovic said.

Kate Fagan, former University of Colorado basketball player and author of the book Hoop Muses, says, “The moments that come our way are moments that have snowballed over the past generation or so.'' ” he said.

Three major turning points occurred several decades apart.

First, when a federal law known as Title IX took effect in the 1970s, the NCAA was forced to provide equal athletic opportunities for women. And in 1996, the Women's National Basketball League was created, giving young players a path to becoming professional athletes.

The third big catalyst came more than 20 years later on TikTok. In 2021, a University of Oregon women's basketball player posted a video comparing the training facilities for women and men in the NCAA Tournament.

There was a huge disparity. The men's facility was lined with training platforms equipped with dumbbells, barbells, and weights that could hold up to hundreds of pounds. The women's facility had a tower of dumbbells with a maximum weight of 30 pounds (14 kg) and several yoga mats. This video went viral.

A follow-up investigation by an outside law firm found that the NCAA “prioritizes men's basketball and contributes to gender inequality” and “significantly undervalues ​​women's basketball as an asset.”

Since then, the NCAA has undergone an overhaul, including allowing the use of March Madness branding in the women's tournament. A new media deal with ESPN, which now broadcasts every women's March Madness game on multiple platforms, was also a byproduct.

“There have always been great players. There have always been great athletes,” said Pamela Grundy, co-author of the novel “Shattered Glass,” which chronicles women's basketball. “But now more people are seeing them.

“And frankly, it's much better than people thought.”

However, she pointed out that “sports are driven not only by tickets but also by sponsors.”

In 2021, a combination of state laws and NCAA rule changes opened up unprecedented opportunities for college athletes to make money selling their name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights.

Six-figure endorsement deals signed by players, some of whom were still teenagers, soon followed. Top brands like State Farm and Nike started partnering with top athletes like Caitlin Clark.

“There are several female athletes who make millions of dollars every year through NIL,” said Blake Lawrence, founder and CEO of NIL contracting platform Opendorse.com.

National endorsement deals will also give athletes more exposure, with commercials and games aired on national television.

Women also have an advantage in social media presence, which is a “huge factor” in most NIL deals, Lawrence said.

Still, women's college basketball players are still held back in many ways by the NCAA's structure, Ms. Kristovich said.

In this tournament, men's basketball teams earn conference entry fees as they progress through the rounds. Not so with the women's team.

That equates to a difference of about $40 million for the top four teams remaining in each of the men's and women's tournaments this year.

“What is incredibly impressive about the success of the women's tournament is that it is succeeding despite the barriers,” Kristovic said.