Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy has reignited debate around the public perception of Caitlin Clark, the record-breaking basketball phenom, following the release of new NCAA women’s championship viewership numbers.
Taking to social media, Portnoy responded directly to those who have suggested Clark‘s widespread fame is due to her race rather than her on-court talent.
On Sunday, the 2025 NCAA women’s championship matchup between South Carolina and a Paige Bueckers-led UConn drew 8.5 million viewers-an impressive figure by any measure.
However, Portnoy was quick to contrast it with last year’s final, when Clark‘s Iowa Hawkeyes battled South Carolina in a historic showdown that pulled in a record 18.9 million viewers, the most ever for a women’s basketball game.
“I’m going to need all the race baiters who explain Caitlin Clark‘s popularity simply because she’s white to explain why 10 million more people watched her last year than Paige Bueckers (also white) this year. I’ll hang up and listen,” Portnoy posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Clark’s outsized influence on women’s basketball
Clark‘s electrifying performances have transformed her into the face of women’s college basketball over the past two years.
In that time, she has helped generate unprecedented TV ratings, significantly increasing interest in the women’s game. In fact, Iowa was involved in four of the most-watched women’s basketball games of all time during Clark‘s junior and senior seasons.
Portnoy‘s comment comes amid broader social media debate, where some have argued Clark’s popularity is linked more to identity than basketball.
His rebuttal points out that Paige Bueckers, who shares a similar demographic background and was ranked ahead of Clark in the high school class of 2020, did not attract the same massive audience-even while playing for a storied program like UConn.
Bueckers, who missed most of two seasons with injuries, has now declared for the WNBA Draft, where she is widely projected to be the No. 1 pick by the Dallas Wings. Meanwhile, Clark is preparing for her own WNBA debut, where she will join the Indiana Fever after being selected first overall.
Despite not winning a national championship, unlike her peers like Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso, Clark‘s impact on the sport has been undeniable. She became the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, male or female, during her final season and has brought women’s basketball to new commercial and cultural heights.
With the WNBA season on the horizon, both Clark and Bueckers are poised to take the sport to the next level. And Portnoy, who has consistently supported Clark throughout her rise, appears ready to defend her legacy well into her pro career.
In a media environment where race and representation are frequently debated, Portnoy’s remarks have stirred fresh conversation, but the data behind Clark‘s popularity remains clear. Whether driven by star power, skill, or something else entirely, her influence is rewriting the playbook for women’s sports.
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