From CNBC: 2024-04-16 12:00:47

South Carolina’s Coach Dawn Staley believes women’s basketball is on the rise after leading the Gamecocks to a perfect season and national championship win against Caitlin Clark’s Iowa team. The game drew record-breaking viewership, peaking at 24.1 million, the most since 2019, according to Nielsen. Staley and the team celebrated at the NYSE after ringing the opening bell.

Caitlin Clark was chosen first in the WNBA draft, boosting ticket prices for the Indiana Fever. Staley emphasized the importance of investing in women’s sports, citing South Carolina’s support for her and the team. With a salary of $3.1 million per season and $680,000 in bonuses, she highlighted the returns on investing in women’s basketball.

Staley acknowledged Clark’s impact on women’s basketball, crediting her for drawing new audiences and appearing on platforms like Saturday Night Live. Staley expressed gratitude towards Clark for raising the level of the game and hopes that more schools will see the value in investing in women’s sports for future growth and success.



Read more at CNBC: South Carolina coach Dawn Staley calls for women’s sports investment