When Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes upset the top-ranked and previously undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks in the second semifinal of the 2023 NCAA women’s basketball tournament on Friday night a lot of people watched.
Also, Iowa’s Elite 8 victory over Louisville out-rated any NBA regular season game broadcast on ESPN this season.
Click here to read the story at awfulannouncing.com.
Discussion Questions:
- Why do you think the popularity of women’s basketball is surging?
- Who is Angel Reese? Who is Caitlin Clark? Who is Aliyah Boston?
- Had you heard of these players before the NCAA tournament?
- What is NIL?
- Angel Reese has 17 different NIL deals, more than any other college basketball player. Why do you think so many brands are interested in partnering with her?
- Do you think Caitlin Clark will have more NIL deals on the table as a result of this year’s NCAA tournament? Why or why not?
- Will Aliyah Boston receive more endorsement deals as she begins her career in the WNBA next year as a result of the visibility she received in this year’s tournament?
- What are television ratings?
- Why are ratings important to a broadcaster like ESPN?
- Why are they important to the NCAA?
- Why are the incredible ratings for the NCAA tournament games so important to help fuel the continued growth of women’s basketball?
- Do you think women’s basketball will continue to see widespread growth or do you think the increase in ratings is because of the hype surrounding Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark, and other stars like South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston? Be prepared to discuss your answers in class.