• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Caitlin Clark’s Moment in History Will Stay on Peacock. Here’s Why

  • Comcast-owned NBCUniversal continues to emphasize its streaming platform.
  • Broadcast network is aiming to revive its previously dormant entertainment programming.
Caitlin Clark
USA TODAY

Live sports on the internet is about to hit another major inflection point, this time due to women’s basketball phenom Caitlin Clark.

The Iowa star is just eight points away from setting the player scoring record for NCAA women’s college basketball, and her attempt to break the mark Thursday night in a game against Michigan will be shown exclusively on NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service. And not only is Peacock showing the game itself, but it is also creating an alternate feed, the State Farm–sponsored Caitlin Cast, that will stay focused on her whenever she’s on the court. 

Despite Clark’s continued on-court exploits drawing banner numbers on linear television—including roughly 1.77 million last weekend on Fox for a Hawkeyes game against Nebraska—there are no plans to shift the game, sources close to the network told Front Office Sports. There are multiple reasons why:

  • The Iowa-Michigan game was long ago identified as a Peacock exclusive stream, part of NBC Sports’ seven-year contract struck in 2022 with the Big Ten Conference. Peacock is showing seven Iowa games overall this season. 
  • NBC showed Clark and the Hawkeyes on Jan. 21 against Ohio State and drew an average audience of 1.93 million, representing the largest regular-season draw for women’s college basketball on any network since 2010. But the broadcast network will devote its prime-time schedule Thursday to repeats of three separate episodes within the expansive Law & Order drama franchise. For Comcast-owned NBCUniversal, as well as other major broadcast networks, it is critical to their overall corporate strategies to revive their entertainment programming businesses after the lengthy actors’ and writers’ strikes this past summer and fall disrupted the normal TV season. 
  • Despite the current hype surrounding Clark, it’s possible those Law & Order programs will draw a much larger audience. For the original airings of those season premieres last month, Law & Order: SVU averaged nearly 5.6 million viewers, while the flagship Law & Order averaged 5.2 million and Law & Order: Organized Crime pulled in 3.8 million. 
  • Peacock is also an increasingly important part of Comcast’s corporate strategy, particularly as legacy media businesses continue to be disrupted massively by cord-cutting and streaming. The platform drew an average audience of 23 million, a U.S. record for a livestreamed event, for an NFL playoff game last month, and Comcast executives see that game as an important proof of concept for what Peacock can do in the future. The current Caitlin Clark mania essentially follows in that wake and, similar to that Chiefs-Dolphins game and all of Peacock’s sports programming, will be seen as a tool to help drive subscriptions beyond the platform’s 31 million registered by the end of 2023.

“That was a galvanizing moment for the entire company,” Brian Roberts, Comcast chairman and CEO, told FOS earlier this week regarding the NFL game. “To say we’re going to have the biggest day in [American] internet history, that didn’t happen by accident.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Raleigh Dumps Competition in HR Derby to Win $1M Prize

“Big Dumper” barely gets into the semifinals before ultimately winning the competition.
Joy Taylor

Joy Taylor Out As FS1 Armageddon Ends Three Shows

All three shows were struggling to attract audiences.

NFL’s New Headsets Are Designed to Survive Coach Tantrums

New NFL coaching headsets underwent “extensive drop testing.”

Featured Today

May 31, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Sydney McLaughin-Levrone (USA) reacts before the women's 100m hurdles during the Grand Slam Track Philadelphia at Franklin Field
exclusive

Track’s New Money Is Running Into Old Problems

The sport’s big-money era has hit some speed bumps in 2025.
Bobbleheads are seen at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently.
July 12, 2025

Baseball’s Bobbleheads Are the Center of the Collectibles Universe

Baseball’s most important keepsake drives long lines—and big business.
Rimouski, QC - JUNE 1: Final Game of the 2025 Memorial Cup between the Medicine Hats Tigers and the London Knights on June 1, 2025, at the Colisée Financière Sun Life in Rimouski, Qc.
July 11, 2025

CHL Is Facing a ‘Pandora’s Box’ of Questions Amid NCAA Talent Departure

As players defect to college, the Canadian Hockey League won’t cede ground.
Jun 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) bats during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field.
July 9, 2025

The Torpedo Bat Business Is Still Going Strong: ‘Here to Stay’

Demand for the oddly shaped bats has stayed strong across the sport.
NBC Sports
exclusive

NBC Hiring Ex-Hawks Exec Grant Liffmann As NBA Front Office Insider

Liffmann spent the last three years with Atlanta after covering the Warriors.
Jul 10, 2025; Wimbledon, United Kingdom; Iga Swiatek of Poland at her on court interview after winning her match against Belinda Bencic of Switzerland on day 11 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.
July 10, 2025

Wimbledon Set to Deliver Strong Finals Matchup for ESPN

Novak Djokovic is still in the hunt for his 25th Grand Slam.
F1
July 11, 2025

F1 ‘Poised’ to Choose Apple Money Over ESPN Reach

Formula One looks to be changing lanes.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
Paige Bueckers
exclusive
July 8, 2025

Women’s March Madness Expansion Wouldn’t Yield More ESPN Money

ESPN is not required to pay extra if women’s March Madness expands.
Feb 7, 2025; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies center Tarris Reed Jr. (5) reacts after his basket against the St. John's Red Storm in the first half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion.
July 8, 2025

After Decade Apart, ESPN and Big East Rekindle Media Rights Relationship

After a decade-plus apart, the network will stream hundreds of conference events.
Jul 6, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Mexico forward Marcel Ruiz (14) heads the ball in front of United States midfielder Brenden Aaronson (11) in the second half during the 2025 Gold Cup Final at NRG Stadium.
July 7, 2025

USMNT Struggles Still Produce Big Gold Cup Ratings for Fox

The U.S. team’s recent issues culminated in a loss to Mexico.
July 2, 2025

Paramount Settles Trump Suit Ahead of NFL Season, Skydance Merger

The deal likely allows the much larger Skydance merger deal to proceed.