Iowa State guard Kaitlin Clark has become one of America's biggest stars. Photo/AP
opinion
A historic moment for women's basketball occurred Monday as 18.7 million people watched the NCAA finals between Iowa and South Carolina.
was the largest audience
Basketball games in ESPN history. This moment is just the latest breakthrough we've seen in women's sports. Now they come almost every week, a packed house here, a new star born there, and it all culminates in an undeniable fact. It means that if you put all your heart into women's sports, it will pay off.
How do breakout stars like Caitlin Clarke, Sam Kerr and Ruby Thuy come about? Before Clarke broke the record, Lynette Woodard set it. Brandi Chastain raised his home country's hopes more than 20 years before Kerr did the same. Vanessa Coutts scored four tries in the final and was the hero of New Zealand's first World Cup win, followed by Tui's six titles. Our female athletes have always succeeded, but it is the infrastructure around them that has failed them.
High-performance ladders were sometimes knocked over by people climbing them. It is not intended to retain knowledge that is retired from the playing field after each season. We have seen incompetent or dangerous coaches and executives appointed following due process and removed after long tenures. Lack of vision and accountability are common themes in poorly managed funds.
Reliable coverage of only championship games and controversy stories. Action from limited camera angles, or maybe just your aunt's Facebook. Team lists will be published as close to kick-off as possible. A schedule with no fixed venue or timing. Fans have been treated as both detectives and fools. They must follow the trail of clues leading to Kickoff or see the outcome of the opening game they were tricked into paying for.
The miracle of these moments we are now seeing in quick succession is that we are finally seeing the big picture. Investment is not just another word for player pay. It's certainly part of the equation, but it's not the only missing piece. Those who have turned moments into momentum understand this. The game changer is not the athletes, but the arrival of the infrastructure era.
This season was the first time the NCAA allowed women to use the March Madness name, which only strengthened the brand. The on-court action has improved with the guidance of long-time veterans of the sport like Dawn Staley. The only person to win an Olympic gold medal in basketball as both a player and a coach, Staley led an inexperienced team to an undefeated season. These exploits have been expertly dissected, demystified, and celebrated by other greats of the game, including Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, and current WNBA player Chiny Ogwumike.
Caitlin Clark's rise was visible thanks to such coverage. The peak was March Madness, but it's been building since the end of last season. The timeline is filled with the same shots from multiple angles, highlighting all the work that goes into the college game. Clark's star athlete will take new fans to the next level of the women's game. She is scheduled to receive her No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft in just a few days.
Investment is an expression of commitment. It's a way of showing what our priorities are and what we value. Some investments are financial, while others are visionary. They recognize all the moving parts that need to come together to create a moment. They balance each of these aspects, support development, fill stadiums and make us all shout her name.
