- NCAA. Paige Bueckers leads the All-Tournament Team, Juju Watkins surprisingly snubbed
- NCAA. Paige Bueckers gives fans what Caitlin Clark never could and declares ready for the WNBA
As the confetti settled on UConn's national championship win, the spotlight on Paige Bueckers seemed poised to match the intensity Caitlin Clark brought to women's basketball over the past year.
But when the Final Four viewership numbers were revealed, it was clear that even a title-winning performance wasn't enough to replicate Clark's unparalleled ratings draw.
Caitlin Clark wins the ratings game
This year's women's Final Four, which featured UConn vs. UCLA and South Carolina vs. Texas, averaged 3.9 million viewers on ESPN, a respectable figure, ranking as the third-most-watched Final Four in history.
Still, it marked a steep 64% decline from 2023's 10.8 million average, a tournament fueled by Clark's Iowa run that broke historic ground for the sport.
The contrast in numbers underscores just how significant Clark's presence has been.
Blowout results this year didn't help, with UConn's 34-point rout of UCLA making it the largest margin of victory in Final Four history.
But even competitive matchups couldn't close the gap Clark had left behind.
Clark's cultural impact carried seamlessly into her rookie season in the WNBA, where she helped the Indiana Fever become the most-watched team in the league.
Her playoff debut drew a staggering 1.84 million viewers, while competing with NFL games, and the follow-up drew 2.54 million, setting a new bar for the league.
Clark bids to change venue for Bueckers showdown
Now, all eyes turn to Bueckers as she prepares to the WNBA, likely with the Dallas Wings as the projected No. 1 pick.
Clark herself addressed the growing anticipation on ESPN's alternate broadcast of the championship game, advocating for more expansive venues to accommodate fans eager to witness Bueckers on the professional stage.
"Honestly they should move every game to American Airlines because Paige has that type of draw,"Clark said, referring to the larger Dallas Mavericks arena.
"Hopefully the other game gets moved too. We would appreciate that, Dallas Wings, if you could move the other one."
While Clark's stardom has redefined what's possible for women's basketball, Bueckers now carries the torch into a new chapter.
Whether she can replicate Clark's off-court impact remains to be seen, but the foundation for unprecedented visibility is already laid.