Iowa's Win vs USC in Caitlin Clark's Jersey Retirement Game Brought in a Big Audience

Basketball fans were tuned in to see Iowa defeat USC, and for Caitlin Clark's jersey retirement ceremony.

Caitlin Clark celebrates with the Hawkeyes womenÕs basketball team after they defeated the USC Trojans 76-69 during a Big Ten womenÕs basketball game Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It is no secret that the "Caitlin Clark Effect" began at Iowa. In fact, her final game for the Hawkeyes (a loss in the national championship against South Carolina) drew a larger broadcast audience than any non football sporting event in 2024. So it was only fitting Clark's Iowa jersey retirement game continued the tradition of delivering big ratings.

Iowa upset USC in what was a thrilling a contest last Sunday. And immediately following the game, Clark was honored in a ceremony at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. With lots of eyeballs tuned in for the festivities.

The Fox broadcast of the game drew an average of nearly 1.1 million viewers, per Sports Media Watch. That number is good enough to make it the second most watched women's college basketball game of the season. USC's win over UConn from December 21 still holds the top spot. That contest of course featured a much hyped showdown between JuJu Watkins and Paige Bueckers (and had an NFL game as a lead-in).

1.1 million people tuned in to watch Iowa take down USC prior to Caitlin Clark’s jersey retirement, making in the 2nd most watched NCAA WBB game this season

The Caitlin Clark effect continues on, even when she’s not in the court 👑 pic.twitter.com/EKvmLDNQFd

— Clark Report (@CClarkReport) February 8, 2025

All of the above is just more evidence of the wave that is women's basketball, for which Clark was the catalyst, but which has continued through other stars like Watkins. Not only did the WNBA brand completely explode in Clark's rookie season with the Indiana Fever, but the NCAA women's game has seen several showdowns bring in impressive viewership numbers this season with Clark now in the pros.

Therefore it was only fitting that the Fever star's return to Iowa was seen by so many, since the interest in Clark and the sport as a whole has clearly not waned one bit. Which was once again proven by the ratings for Clark's Iowa jersey being hung up in the rafters.