Another record was just broken by Caitlin Clark.
More records are being broken by Caitlin Clark, the University of Iowa player who last week rose to the top of the NCAA women’s basketball scoring record book.
Since Fanatics started selling collegiate athletic apparel in 2022, Clark’s jerseys and shirts bearing her name have been flying off the (virtual) shelves. According to the website, the guard has become the online retailer’s top-selling college athlete.
A 2021 Supreme Court decision permitted student athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness, or NIL, or personal brand. This implied that sportsmen like Clark could begin to profit from their likeness. Stores soon followed suit, making a tidy profit.
In less than a day after she broke the record last Friday night, fans told CNN that they had sold more Clark-branded merchandise “than any other individual men’s or women’s NIL-era college athlete across all sports has sold since 2022.”
She earned the top spot on Fanatics’ website by surpassing University of Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who happens to be the son of NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders and his coach.
Fans of the website are particularly enamored with a T-shirt manufactured by Nike that features the words “You break it, you own it” alongside Clark’s jersey number 22 and last name.
A 2021 Supreme Court decision permitted student athletes to profit from their personal brand, which includes their name, likeness, and image
A Fanatics representative stated that Clark’s regular Topps Now card is “among the top-10 Topps Now cards sold of all time, across all sports,” and her Topps trading cards commemorating her record-breaking feat sold out in less than ten minutes were also popular with fans.
Clark makes a profit
In a new era of college sports profitability, the Iowa star has emerged as an economic force, bringing attention to the multi-million dollar earning potential of certain athletes.
The 22-year-old Clark has agreements with Gatorade, Nike, and State Farm, among other companies. The value of those partnerships as a whole is estimated by the sports data site On3 at $818,000, which is significantly more than Clark could earn as a professional in the WNBA, where the top salary currently stands at $250,000. This ranking is fifth in all women’s college sports.
College athletes who can help brands reach younger consumers—especially young women who are more likely to build devoted social media followings—are in high demand as brand partners. Additionally, the rising notoriety of elite athletes like Clark is contributing to increased funding and interest in women’s collegiate and professional sports.
The lifetime customer value is a factor in Corporate America’s desire to appeal to younger generations, according to Patrick Rishe, director of Washington University in St. Louis’s sports business program. He went on to say that Clark has a group of “Clarkies” who follow her.
Iowa unveils a new logo on the Carver-Hawkeye Arena floor in honor of Caitlin Clark’s record.
Unveiling a new logo on the floor of the famed Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa has decided to immortalize Caitlin Clark’s historic achievement in a move that embodies both respect and admiration for their current basketball star.
Located at the exact spot where Clark broke the women’s basketball NCAA scoring record, this symbol pays moving tribute to her extraordinary talent and unwavering commitment.
The logo was created in her memory and includes Clark’s name along with her famous number 22, which stands for her enduring legacy.
Iowa appropriately captioned the photos of the emblem when they appeared, using the words “Made her mark,” a sentiment that is highly relatable to both fans and admirers.
It is impossible to overestimate the significance of this gesture.
In the midst of an intense game against the Michigan Wolverines, Caitlin Clark made basketball history by breaking the previous scoring record with a deep three-pointer that sent shockwaves through the arena.
Iowa’s symbolic action honors Clark’s incredible accomplishment while also highlighting her significant influence on the program and the sport in general.
However, Caitlin Clark’s journey is far from over, even as she revels in the glow of this well-earned recognition.
Clark is still in a position to cemented her legacy in basketball history as the regular season comes to an end and the postseason approaches.
With unmatched skill and unwavering determination, she is poised to break another historic mark—the 3,667 career points that LSU’s Pete Maravich currently holds as the all-time NCAA scoring record.
Caitlin Clark’s influence is felt outside of the basketball court as her profile continues to rise.
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