Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark
Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark
Changing the future of women's college basketball one wave at a time
Friends,
Do you want to know why women’s college basketball viewership is at an all-time high? Well, honestly, I’m sure there are several reasons. But two of the biggest are Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark. Here’s how much of an impact the two had during last season’s tournament.
“The women’s Division I basketball tournament broke viewership records all through March. The title game between LSU and Iowa drew 9.9 million viewers on average across ABC and ESPN, making it the most-watched women’s college basketball game ever. It was also the first time the title game aired live on ABC, which has further reach than ESPN” (Anzidei, 2023).
Now, don’t get me wrong, they’re both great players, but let’s be honest, viewership didn’t rise to the level of almost 10 million viewers solely on spectacular play. The infamous hand wave contributed. Here’s what happened.
“As the Iowa star walked off the court, Reese looked in her direction and waved her hands in front of her own face. She then pointed to her ring finger” (Owens, 2023).
Reese was quick to point out how it all unfolded. She addressed the media postgame and said she wasn't going to let Clark disrespect teammate Alexis Morris or South Carolina. The Hawkeyes defeated South Carolina a few days earlier in Final Four competition. Clark was caught waving off South Carolina’s Raven Johnson while standing in the paint.
Although both girls received their fair share of criticism, I can confidently say it added to their popularity.
Over the summer, both Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark watched their N.I.L. valuations increase dramatically.
N.I.L. stands for name, image, and likeness. An N.I.L. deal allows a college athlete to be compensated for their name, image, and likeness in various ways.
Monetizing social media accounts
Advertising campaigns
Creating courses and skill camps
Autographs
Starting a Brand
Here’s where their numbers stand today.
Angel Reese- 1.3 million
Caitlin Clark- 764,000
Angel Reese says she’s in no rush to go to the WNBA. Here’s why.
Average salary of WNBA player
“As of the start of the 2023 season, the league average of salaries in the WNBA is $113,295 among 137 players. In 2022 it was $102,751” (Yahoo, 2023).
Now, can you blame her?
Until recently, the question of should college athletes be paid was answered by the fact that across all sports and universities, student athletes were considered amateurs and therefore prohibited from receiving monetary compensation for their athletic accomplishments. The concept of paying college athletes, however, has been anything but a clear-cut issue” (IconSource, 2022).
Can you imagine walking around a college campus and seeing your name on the back of a jersey, and while the school is profiting, you’re not receiving a single dime? And we’re not mentioning ticket sales, sponsorships, etc. I’m glad that someone finally came to their senses. These athletes deserve to get paid.
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Joseph Thompson is a Professional Registered Nurse with a love and passion for sports. Check out his medium profile and get notified when he publishes new content. Thank you for your support!
References
Anzidei, M. (2023, April 6). Women’s march madness broke TV records. Reese taunted Clark. it’s an unapologetic new era. North Jersey Media Group. https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/2023/04/06/womens-march-madness-tv-ratings-lsu-iowa-angel-reese/70075526007/
Everything you need to know about nil. Icon Source. (2022, July 27). https://iconsource.com/everything-about-nil/
Owens, J. (April 2023). LSU’s Angel Reese talks taunt of Caitlin Clark, social media criticism: “what are you gonna say now?” Yahoo! Sports. https://sports.yahoo.com/lsus-angel-reese-talks-taunt-of-caitlin-clark-social-media-criticism-what-are-you-gonna-say-now-005139333.html
Yahoo! (May 2023). WNBA salaries: Who has the highest, league average, more. Yahoo! Sports. https://sports.yahoo.com/wnba-salaries-highest-league-average-140000974.html#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20league%20average,In%202022%20it%20was%20%241