Tuesday, August 4, 2026
  • -
    days
  • -
    hours
  • -
    minutes
  • -
    seconds

Caitlin Clark Mania Continues As Iowa-Maryland Draws Record Ratings

  • Iowa-Maryland draws more than 1.5 million viewers to set Fox Sports record.
  • Alternate broadcast on TikTok had strong viewership as well.
caitlin clark
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Caitlin Clark’s hot streak continues. 

Fox reported Saturday’s game between Clark’s Hawkeyes and the Maryland Terrapins had roughly 1.6 million viewers, making it the most-watched women’s basketball game in the network’s history. 

Additionally, the Caitlin Clark Cam, an alternate viewing experience on TikTok, had roughly 800,000 viewers. 

It’s another installment in the sensation Clark has created in her storied college career. Clark led Iowa to the national championship game a year ago. But the Hawkeyes lost to LSU in a game that also drew record ratings and once again has Iowa in national title contention this season with the team at 21–2. 

Clark has dominated the name, image, and likeness game, as last December, Iowa’s leading scorer signed a multiyear partnership with Gatorade. While financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, Gatorade said it would donate $22,000 (No. 22 is her jersey number) in Clark’s honor to the Caitlin Clark Foundation as part of its Equity in Sport initiative. 

The deal was the latest in an impressive NIL portfolio, which helps solidify Clark as one of the most marketable players in all of college sports. Her portfolio was already impressive. In October, she became the first NCAA athlete to sign with State Farm. She also has deals with major brands, including Nike, Buick, Topps, and H&R Block.

The Hawkeyes play Sunday at Nebraska and are once again expected to draw both a big crowd and strong ratings with this game airing on Fox at 1 p.m. ET to avoid interfering with the Super Bowl.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

World Cup Ignites MLS Ticket Sales, Ratings Stay Mostly Flat

Single-game ticket sales for the Philadelphia Union are up 218%.
Soccer Football - Serie A - AC Milan v Hellas Verona - San Siro, Milan, Italy - December 28, 2025 Former footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic before the match REUTERS/Daniele Mascolo

After Breakout World Cup, Zlatan Leaves Fox With Leverage

The former striker said his Fox Sports stint was one-and-done.
Dec 14, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Fox broadcaster Tom Brady is seen prior to the game between the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Opinion

Publicity Stunts Are Hurting the Tom Brady Brand

Brady and Logan Paul escalated their “feud” over the weekend.
July 14, 2026; Arlington, Texas, U.S.; France's Adrien Rabiot in action with Spain's Rodri. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

2030 World Cup Media Rights Race Already Taking Shape

Fox, ESPN, and Netflix have emerged as likely suitors.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

8/3/26 – FIFA Scraps World Cup Investment Plan, Dodgers Land Skubal, NCAA’s Eligibility Chaos

0:00

Featured Today

WPBL

Who’s Playing Women’s Professional Baseball?

Sixty players from 11 countries are descending on Illinois for six weeks.
Tom's Watch Bar
July 17, 2026

Sports Bars Are Cashing In From Summer of Soccer

The World Cup has brought a windfall to America’s biggest sports bars.
Jun 16, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; France forward Michael Olise (11) controls the ball against Senegal during a Group I match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at New York New Jersey Stadium
July 16, 2026

Where World Cup Stars Go to Customize Their Cleats

The world’s best players turn to a Scottish craftsman for perfect cleats.
July 10, 2026

What the World Cup Means to Erling Haaland’s Tiny Hometown

The tournament’s breakout star is from a rural Norwegian town.
July 10, 2026

Why So Many Media Outlets Are Rushing Into Sports

Sports coverage has ballooned in every corner of media.
Jan 21, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; CBS Sports sideline announcer Mike Florio on field prior to an AFC divisional round game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Florio Talks NBC, ‘PFT Live’ Shifts, 49ers Criticism

The ProFootballTalk founder returns as a ‘Football Night in America’ analyst.
Oct 23, 2011; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) with owner Jerry Jones prior to the game against the St Louis Rams at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
August 3, 2026

Tony Romo’s CBS Future a ‘Litmus Test’ for Jerry Jones’s Power

CBS placed Romo on leave last week.
CBS sportscaster and former NFL quarterback Tony Romo chats with the media Tuesday, June 27, 2023 during the OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois Championship & Pro-Am at Metamora Fields Golf Club.
August 3, 2026

Is This the Beginning of the End for Tony Romo at CBS?

Romo’s leave has elevated J.J. Watt to CBS’s No. 1 team.
Sponsored

Saints Great Turns to Ownership

Marques Colston discusses the launch of Champions Fund and how he navigated the business world after football
August 2, 2026

How the Nostalgia Account 20 Years Ago Sports Went Viral

Nostalgic sports content is proving extremely popular.
Jan 8, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Adam Schefter talks on a set before the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Washington Huskies at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
July 31, 2026

Schefter Among Early Investors to Cash In on Underdog Sale

Schefter first invested in Underdog in 2021.
CBS sportscaster and former NFL quarterback Tony Romo chats with the media Tuesday, June 27, 2023 during the OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois Championship & Pro-Am at Metamora Fields Golf Club.
July 31, 2026

CBS Places Tony Romo on Leave After OWI Arrest

JJ Watt will work with CBS’s No. 1 NFL broadcast team.
Jan 17, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; ESPN reporter Molly McGrath during media day for the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship at Miami Beach Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Exclusive
July 31, 2026

Molly McGrath Moving From CFB to NFL Coverage at ESPN

McGrath will be a sideline reporter and fill-in host on “NFL Live.”