Paige Bueckers struggles to ’emulate’ Caitlin Clark NCAA legacy
Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes will retire her iconic 22 jersey for a hefty price
UConn guard Paige Bueckers (5) is guarded by Georgetown guard Victoria RiveraLAPRESSE
Caitlin Clark will have her Iowa Hawkeyes jersey retired less than a year after she smashed the NCAA points record for women and men, and tickets are so expensive they command a fee that not even the UConn Huskies’ Paige Bueckers can match.
Bueckers has been tipped to inherit the power vacuum left by the Indiana Fever’s icon after she graduated to the WNBA, eventually becoming the Rookie of the Year and later Time’s Athlete of the Year.
However, even she can’t compete with the legacy of the 22-year-old Clark after tickets begin retailing at $446 to watch her number 22 jersey retired on February 2, 2025 at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Some are even reselling at an insane $2,243.
“All 15,000 season tickets have sold out for the second consecutive season,” Chad Withrow said to HotMic with Hutton & Withrow of Clark’s Hawkeyes legacy. “Sold out. That means you got to increase that price.”
Meanwhile, Bueckers is struggling to match the same hype despite putting up 20.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and four assists per game in her senior year in the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball league.
The upcoming Huskies’ game against the Hawkeyes, on January 22, has tickets currently retailing at $43, which is over 100 times cheaper than what Iowa are asking for when they take on the USC Trojans at Clark’s ceremony.
Who do the UConn Huskies play next?
The UConn Huskies are next in action against the USC Trojans, who they will welcome to the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut on Saturday, December 21 with tip-off expected from 20:00 ET/17:00 PT.
Caitlin Clark’s jersey retirement sparks outrage as tickets reach insane prices
Tickets are going for eye-popping numbers
Indiana Fever’s Caitlin ClarkLAPRESSE
Caitlin Clark is set to receive a prestigious honor from the Iowa Hawkeyes on February 2, 2025 when the university will raise her number to the rafters and retire it.
The occasion will certainly be a memorable one for all those in attendance, as well as Clark, who averaged 31.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 8.9 assists per game in her senior season with the team.
She also became the NCAA’s all-time leader scorer in both the men’s and women’s divisions, showing just how profound her impact was on the sport during her time in Iowa.
However, with Clark’s number now set to join the likes of Megan Gustafson and Michelle Edwards in the rafters, ticket prices for the occasion have fans scratching their heads.
How much are tickets going for?
The game will see Iowa take on the USC Trojans, and to the surprise of nobody, there is already a huge demand for tickets.
As a result of that demand prices are hitting all-time highs, with the cheapest ticket on TickPick listed at a stunning $711. That is a huge increase on the previous lowest price, which was $283.
The figures have some fans wondering how it’s possible, and if the game should be moved to accommodate a bigger live audience.
“I would have had it in the football stadium & probably cashed out even more,” one fan wrote.
“Iowa that’s nasty work,” wrote another, who clearly isn’t a fan of the big price jump.
Another added: “Even with as good as Caitlin Clark, I still can’t bring myself to watch the WNBA.”
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