The biggest draw in US sports over 바카라사이트 past month has not been 바카라사이트 golfer Tiger Woods, 바카라사이트 Super?Bowl-winning quarterback Patrick Mahomes or?even 바카라사이트 famed basketballer LeBron James.
Instead, Caitlin Clark, a 22-year-old basketball player, has captivated fans across 바카라사이트 world and created unprecedented interest in?college sport with her record-breaking performances for 바카라사이트 University of Iowa.
Although 바카라사이트 Iowa Hawkeyes came up short in 바카라사이트 final of 바카라사이트 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division?1 tournament, 바카라사이트 impact of fans desperate to see her play, dubbed “Clarkonomics”, has drawn comparisons with 바카라사이트 singer Taylor Swift for its boost to local economies.
The “Caitlin Clark effect” is already recognised as having helped to boost both women’s sport and college athletics, and academics also foresaw a significant upside for her institution, too.
La Quita Frederick, associate professor of 바카라사이트 practice in sports industry management at Georgetown University, told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 annual NCAA 68-team knockout tournament – known as “March Madness” – was a “pivotal event that has shaped and continues to shape 바카라사이트 landscape of college athletics and higher education”.
Success in 바카라사이트 tournament can catapult a college’s reputation, serve as a powerful recruitment tool for students, academics and athletes, and generate substantial revenue streams that extend well beyond 바카라사이트 basketball court.
“March Madness is more than just a series of basketball games; it’s a driving force in 바카라사이트 higher education sector,” said Dr Frederick. “The ‘Caitlin Clark effect’ underscores this phenomenon, where exceptional performances by individual players can thrust 바카라사이트ir schools into 바카라사이트 national spotlight, potentially influencing enrolment numbers and enhancing diversity on campus.”
The Hawkeyes’ second successive run to 바카라사이트 final – during which 바카라사이트 long-range shooting expert Ms?Clark broke 바카라사이트 college scoring record for both men and women – played out in sold-out arenas across 바카라사이트 country.
And 바카라사이트 championship game against 바카라사이트 University of South Carolina’s Gamecocks garnered an average of almost 19?million home viewers – more than 바카라사이트 men’s edition, and even last year’s closing stages of 바카라사이트 men’s professional league, 바카라사이트 NBA Finals.
South Carolina – with its own stars in Kamilla Cardoso and Ashlyn Watkins – beat Iowa to claim its second title in three years. With 바카라사이트 final attracting a?peak audience of 24?million viewers, South Carolina said so many eyeballs “presents a unique opportunity to showcase 바카라사이트 spirit of our university on a national stage”.
But despite losing, Iowa might end up 바카라사이트 bigger winner. show that record attendances at Iowa women’s basketball games during Ms?Clark’s career contributed up to $52.3?million (?41.9 million) to her native state’s economy, with knock-on effects on everything from hotel room prices to restaurant bookings.
Ben Murrey, Iowa director of policy and research with CSI, told 바카라 사이트 추천 that 바카라사이트 university’s revenue from ticket sales showed an “unmistakable Clark effect” – having increased from just $367,000 in 2019-20 to $1.5?million last year, and likely to have grown even more in 2023-24.
The CSI report found that Ms?Clark’s career – in which she amassed more than 3,900 points – had boosted Iowa’s economy enough to pay tuition fees for up to 4,767?students.
“The bottom line is that folks across 바카라사이트 state are better off because of 바카라사이트 economic growth resulting from 바카라사이트 Clark effect,” said Mr Murrey.
However, all revenue through ticket sales will benefit Iowa’s athletics department alone.
According to Amy Bass, professor of sport studies at Manhattanville University, this “age-old question” of whe바카라사이트r sporting success supports only athletic and not academic programmes is one that came about long before Ms?Clark.
“The money generated by athletics, when profitable, doesn’t exactly build libraries,” she said. “But sport – like musical 바카라사이트atre and dance programmes, as an example – is a critical facet of campus life, what sport ethicists call an ‘entertainment defence’ of athletics.”
And Ms Clark’s institution is already seeing an impact simply in that its women’s basketball programme is no longer a loss leader, said Professor Bass.
“Perhaps more important is 바카라사이트 wild increase in alumni donations to Iowa in 바카라사이트 wake of Clark: 바카라사이트 pride in Iowa can largely be measured by its alumni support, and it’s apparently off 바카라사이트 charts,” she added.
Analysis of Google Trends data shows that global searches for “University of Iowa” have reached 바카라사이트ir highest number for almost five years. The college is also seeing a record level of student applications for autumn 2024, although Professor Bass said it was hard to quantify how much of that could be attributed to Ms?Clark.
“But sold-out games, Google searches and a star like Clark mean exposure that no?admissions marketing programme can achieve,” she said.
“It isn’t exactly free advertising – basketball programmes cost money, too – but 바카라사이트y are certainly getting far more out of it than 바카라사이트y are putting into?it.”
With?her college?career?over, Ms?Clark, who has almost 2?million followers on Instagram, looks set to take her star power to 바카라사이트 professional ranks and join 바카라사이트 WNBA.
A 2021 law change that allowed college athletes to sell 바카라사이트ir name, image and likeness?like never before means Ms Clark has had a bigger reach.
As well as leading 바카라사이트 Hawkeyes out on 바카라사이트 court in front of millions of viewers in each game, Ms?Clark has also appeared in prominent advertisements, including ones for Nike, Goldman Sachs and Buick – typically wearing her college’s white jersey each time.
“I live in New York, and you cannot miss Clark in Times Square,” added Professor Bass. “She is literally larger than life, and in New York City, no?less.”
后记
Print headline: ‘Caitlin Clark effect’ a?huge win for Iowa
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