10.4 Million Americans Leave Paige Bueckers Reeling as Ex-CBS Broadcaster Ruins UConn’s 12th NCAA Title With Bold Caitlin Clark Take

The comparisons between them have been rampant. And for good reasons. Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers have carved their legacies in their own ways. If Clark has the all-time lead in scoring, both in NCAA Division I and across all divisions (men’s and women’s), Bueckers, in 2021, became the first freshman to earn the Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy, AP Player of the Year, and USBWA Player of the Year. So when these two behemoths clashed, fireworks in viewership were bound to happen.

Last year, when Iowa faced UConn in the Final Four game, it emerged as the most-watched game in women’s college basketball history, according to ESPN. Some 14.2 million people reportedly watched the game, with the peak reaching 17 million. Here is how it smashed the records:

The game was:

• Every World Series game last year.
• Every NBA Finals game last year.
• Every Daytona 500 since 2013.
• Every Masters final round viewership since 2013.
• All but five CFB games in 2023.

Now that Bueckers will be entering the WNBA as the potential No. 1 pick, the rivalry looks to be set to reignite. Alongside, some more viewership records might be on the way. But there will always be debate whether those records would be for Clark or Bueckers. It is almost unanimously agreed that Clark single-handedly pulled traffic to the sport. A recent stat by Clay Travis might again reinforce the fact.

On OutKick The Show with Clay Travis claimed that the National Championship game this year didn’t draw as many eyeballs as it did the previous two years. During Caitlin Clark’s historic collegiate career, the women’s national championship game was viewed a lot more than the men’s, and it seemed like the tables had finally turned. But this year’s UConn versus South Carolina matchup fell behind.

The show host talked about how big of a gap there was in the two consecutive finals. “This year’s game, South Carolina [versus] UConn had 8.5 million viewers. That means 10.4  million viewers, in my opinion, basically tuned in to watch Caitlin Clark.” He said. “The ratings declined by about 56% percent or something like that from last year to this year… The only major difference? Caitlin Clark’s not playing.” It frankly makes a lot of sense.

However, some critics tried to paint a racial picture instead, pointing at the rivalry dynamics between Clark and Angel Reese. Travis, however, had a piece of mind ready for those particular critics. “I think it is very hard to argue that race is the reason why Caitlin Clark is popular. Otherwise, Paige Bueckers would be just as popular as Caitlin Clark is.” Notably, at the 2021 ESPYs, Bueckers was named the college athlete of the year. She used her acceptance speech to give a shoutout to Black women in particular. Last month, former NBA star Etan Thomas, in a column in The Guardian, claimed that was a reason why Bueckers is not much accepted to a section of Americans.

Meanwhile, whatever critics to the media say about the rivalry of the two stars, they hold themselves in high regard. “We’ve known each other for a very long time. We’ve been competing against and with each other for a very long time. … I mean, Caitlin’s a competitor, she’s a winner,” Bueckers had said about Clark. Clark reciprocated: “The coolest thing about Paige is how resilient she is. Since I’ve known her since she was in middle school, she’s always had that fire, she’s always been a great leader.” But fans are in for a new chapter of the rivalry, this time in the WNBA arena.

Top Comment by Lisa62

I’m a Caitlin Clark fan she’s a phenomenal basketball player. Paige is good but she can’t draw people in like...more

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Debate

Caitlin Clark gains a new rival with the 2025 WNBA draft

After such a decorated collegiate career, it comes as a shock to no one that Paige Bueckers is the consensus #1 overall pick in this year’s draft class. The UConn star is all set to hear her name called out in New York next week, and it will most likely be for the Dallas Wings.

However, her presence in the professional league might fuel some old rivalries! Think back to Bueckers’ rookie year and her NPOY sweep, everyone thought she would be the next big thing. But injuries held her potential at bay while Caitlin Clark seized the opportunity in front of her.

The Indiana Fever guard will definitely be on the lookout for her old college rival, as Indiana plays Dallas a total of four times this season. They will alternate locations, starting from June 27 in Dallas, and ending in mid August in Indiana.

With a natty in her cabinet, Caitlin Clark’s UConn counterpart has a leg up over the Fever star. There will be competition aplenty, and there’ll be a lot to prove for both parties. We can’t wait for all the action that’s about to come! Stay tuned for all the action.