Caitlin Changed the Game

[TheFarmFan]

Caitlin was the guest on SNL’s Weekend Update tonight. I don’t remember a college athlete ever appearing on that show before. A few of her jokes were pretty good.

Overall a pretty great set. I think the Indiana Fever joke was the funniest, even if Che was laughing through the punchline:

 

[Velocity80]

CC brought Kate and Gabbie to the stage too. Love these girls.

 

[IArick]

CC brought Kate and Gabbie to the stage too. Love these girls.

and Jada Gyamfi

 

[Crazyhorse]

Clark is a wonderful ambassador for the game.

 

[WiseWillie]

I'll all say is if someone wants publicity they should hire the publicity agent(s) who handled CC. Masterful.

 

[Zach Jump]

I'll all say is if someone wants publicity they should hire the publicity agent(s) who handled CC. Masterful.

It was random people making videos of her long three pointers and putting them on YouTube ... it was word of mouth, not manufactured.

 

[Velocity80]

Dawn Staley just said on 670 the Score (out of Chicago) that Caitlin was the "sole reason" for viewership numbers going up the way they did. She then repeated "sole reason" with emphasis two more times.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Dawn Staley just said on 670 the Score (out of Chicago) that Caitlin was the "sole reason" for viewership numbers going up the way they did. She then repeated "sole reason" with emphasis two more times.

I'm sure this will ruffle some feathers! So glad Dawn said it.

 

[Kaizen]

Dawn Staley just said on 670 the Score (out of Chicago) that Caitlin was the "sole reason" for viewership numbers going up the way they did. She then repeated "sole reason" with emphasis two more times.

I am sure many people watch the game because of Caitlin but a "sole reason" must be joking, at least to me.

I watch the game because I like basketball and I like women's basketball. Those are two mainly reasons I watch women basketball. With Clark it is an extra.

Let me ask, if Clark is not in the game will you still watch this NCAA women basketball final game?

 

[IArick]

I am sure many people watch the game because of Caitlin but a "sole reason" must be joking, at least to me.

I watch the game because I like basketball and I like women's basketball. Those are two mainly reasons I watch women basketball. With Clark it is an extra.

Let me ask, if Clark is not in the game will you still watch this NCAA women basketball final game?

Depends on the team. Most likely, I would. Dawn is talking about bringing new viewers not already established fans.

 

[Velocity80]

I shared Dawn's quote because I found it a bit unusual given that 1.) her radio audience is Chicago and 2.) her star Center is now in Chicago with Angel Reese.

Not that I disagree one iota with Dawn.

 

[Kaizen]

Dawn: IF we ask who has brought the most attention to Women's College Basketball in the last 25 years, I think it's fair to say it's Caitlin.

Dwan must forget Moore won the AP Player of the Year (first sophomore to win the award), Naismith College Player of the Year, USBWA National Player of the Year and the John R. Wooden Award and the Wade Trophy in 2008. She was a unanimous first-team All-American for a second straight season, earning first-team recognition from the AP and USBWA and making the WBCA Coaches' All-America Team. In July 2009, she won the Best Female College Athlete ESPY Award.[17]

 

[visitingcock]

Dawn: IF we ask who has brought the most attention to Women's College Basketball in the last 25 years, I think it's fair to say it's Caitlin.

Dwan must forget Moore won the AP Player of the Year (first sophomore to win the award), Naismith College Player of the Year, USBWA National Player of the Year and the John R. Wooden Award and the Wade Trophy in 2008. She was a unanimous first-team All-American for a second straight season, earning first-team recognition from the AP and USBWA and making the WBCA Coaches' All-America Team. In July 2009, she won the Best Female College Athlete ESPY Award.[17]

“Most attention” is a different subject than ‘best player.”

 

[Kaizen]

“Most attention” is a different subject than ‘best player.”

How can you compare "Most Attention" before and now?
Technology changes everyday. Can you watch a UConn's live play in YouTube 25 years ago?

Clark only ranks #7 in this "10 best women’s college basketball players ever".

10 best women's college basketball players ever: From Caitlin Clark to Cheryl Miller - Sportsnaut

Ahead of this year's NCAA tournament we rank the 10 best women's college basketball players ever, including Caitlin Clark and Sheryl Swoopes.

sportsnaut.com

 

[Zach Jump]

How can you compare "Most Attention" before and now?
Technology changes everyday.

Let's see....in the 80s we had 3 channels so people watched because what else are you going to watch.

Today...the ratings are higher...with 34,876 cable channels, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hulu, and many more that for some stupid reason I have subscriptions to.

Yes the YouTube factor matters as so many of us a few years ago were showing videos to people that said I do not care about womens basketball....the same people the last couple days were telling me how awesome it was to watch Kate get drafted. (I live 1,500 miles from Iowa)

Why the attention...quit looking for a reason to explain it away and simply embrace it.

Yes I am an Iowa fan....I member as a kid just how special Michelle Edwards was.

...and just for the record...Caitlin at best is the 3rd most influential Hawkeye in all of Women's Basketball history at this point.

 

[triaddukefan]

I'm sure this will ruffle some feathers! So glad Dawn said it.

You mean ruffle some fur

 

[Velocity80]

 

[WiseWillie]

Dawn: IF we ask who has brought the most attention to Women's College Basketball in the last 25 years, I think it's fair to say it's Caitlin.

Dwan must forget Moore won the AP Player of the Year (first sophomore to win the award), Naismith College Player of the Year, USBWA National Player of the Year and the John R. Wooden Award and the Wade Trophy in 2008. She was a unanimous first-team All-American for a second straight season, earning first-team recognition from the AP and USBWA and making the WBCA Coaches' All-America Team. In July 2009, she won the Best Female College Athlete ESPY Award.[17]

Timing is everything. Unfortunately, the timing of Maya's performance in college was before the media buzz and publicity that has captivated an entire audience of thousands of non-basketball fans at least for several games.

Now the WNBA's and their network affiliate, ESPN's, mission in the upcoming season starting next month is to make certain that it was not a "flash in the pan" in order to take advantage of and ride the wave of popularity. We all hope they succeed - across the entire league and all of the teams - since the women's game is worth all of the attention but hopefully not just about one player.

But back on Maya, after her amazing college career, Maya won the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award (2011); four WNBA championships, (2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017); a WNBA Finals MVP Award (2013); three WNBA All Star Game MVP's (2015, 2017 and 2018); two olympic gold medals (2012 and 2016); and a WNBA Scoring Title (2014).

Maya is a true GOAT but 95% (try 99%) of the people who watched a FF or the NC game this year could even tell you who she or many of the other trail blazers in womens college basketball were or are and their accomplishments. Compare that to the men's game where everyone even those who never watched basketball could tell you who Wilt, Russell, MJ, LeBron, Kareem, Shack, Magic, Bird and more were and are.

And that women's basketball fans is what is really unfortunate. That to me is what the WNBA and ESPN hasn't promoted as strongly and needs to get out there now while they have the attention of those who never paid the women's game much heed.

Good luck. Let's hope they succeed.

 

[visitingcock]

Let's see....in the 80s we had 3 channels so people watched because what else are you going to watch.

Today...the ratings are higher...with 34,876 cable channels, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hulu, and many more that for some stupid reason I have subscriptions to.

Yes the YouTube factor matters as so many of us a few years ago were showing videos to people that said I do not care about womens basketball....the same people the last couple days were telling me how awesome it was to watch Kate get drafted. (I live 1,500 miles from Iowa)

Why the attention...quit looking for a reason to explain it away and simply embrace it.

Yes I am an Iowa fan....I member as a kid just how special Michelle Edwards was.

...and just for the record...Caitlin at best is the 3rd most influential Hawkeye in all of Women's Basketball history at this point.

3rd most influential Hawkeye?

Maybe as far as influencing the Hawkeye program but not as far as influencing "all of Women's Basketball." She is number one.

The 18.9 million viewrs are simply the highest ever. I doubled the Hawkeye viewers from the previous year - which doubled the viewers from the championship game the year before (SCar v Uconn). Oh and those are Nielson ratings which do not count all the "34,876" cable channels, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hulu."

Clark IS the most influential women's basketball player ever (I'm not saying GOAT). I am not a big fan of here's. (That hand sign taunting Raven last year really ticked me off - both as a sports fan and a gamecock.) Nevertheless, I have to acknowledge what she has brought to the Game. I would like to think we had a hand in that 18.79 viewers, but it was small. Caitlin was the eyeball magnet.

Here's the historical TV ratings for championship games:

Women’s College Basketball Championship Game Draws Record-Breaking 18.9 Million Viewers | Nielsen

18.9 million viewers watched the 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship on ABC and ESPN

www.nielsen.com

 

[Kaizen]

3rd most influential Hawkeye?

Maybe as far as influencing the Hawkeye program but not as far as influencing "all of Women's Basketball." She is number one.

The 18.9 million viewrs are simply the highest ever. I doubled the Hawkeye viewers from the previous year - which doubled the viewers from the championship game the year before (SCar v Uconn). Oh and those are Nielson ratings which do not count all the "34,876" cable channels, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hulu."

Clark IS the most influential women's basketball player ever (I'm not saying GOAT). I am not a big fan of here's. (That hand sign taunting Raven last year really ticked me off - both as a sports fan and a gamecock.) Nevertheless, I have to acknowledge what she has brought to the Game. I would like to think we had a hand in that 18.79 viewers, but it was small. Caitlin was the eyeball magnet.

Here's the historical TV ratings for championship games:

Women’s College Basketball Championship Game Draws Record-Breaking 18.9 Million Viewers | Nielsen

18.9 million viewers watched the 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship on ABC and ESPN

www.nielsen.com

1995 April 2, UConn vs. Tenn game has 7.44 million views.

 

[Kaizen]

The 18.9 million viewrs are simply the highest ever. I doubled the Hawkeye viewers from the previous year - which doubled the viewers from the championship game the year before (SCar v Uconn). Oh and those are Nielson ratings which do not count all the "34,876" cable channels, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hulu."

Yes, Nielsen ratings include streaming. Nielsen is a media measurement company that has expanded its capabilities to include streaming viewership. Nielsen Streaming Content Ratings uses people-powered panels and proprietary metering technology to attribute program viewership through linear TV and connected devices. Nielsen Streaming Platform Ratings uses people-powered panels and proprietary metering technology to measure what content is streamed, the device used to stream, and the streaming source application

does nielsen ratings include streaming - Google Search

 

[Zach Jump]

Maybe as far as influencing the Hawkeye program but not as far as influencing "all of Women's Basketball." She is number one.

Would the game have reached the point where Caitlin could have the impact she is having without Dr Christine Grant or Vivian Stringer?

 

[Bjbod]

Would the game have reached the point where Caitlin could have the impact she is having without Dr Christine Grant or Vivian Stringer?

Yes.

 

[Zach Jump]

Yes.

You think that Caitlin in 4 years has had a bigger impact than Dr Grant did in 50 years of kicking down doors?

The GM of the Fever referred to Dr Grant as the Mother of Title 9 in her last press conference.

NCAA literally named their biggest ballroom after her.

Hell...every single womens basketball head coach at the University of Iowa, in History, was hired by Christine Grant.

 

[Zach Jump]