Caitlin Clark Craze Goes Global: Women in Iceland Watch Fever Star Set Scoring Record

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Caitlin Clark is inarguably the most popular women’s basketball player in America. Her fame has eclipsed most NBA stars and games featuring her are competing valiantly against the NFL in viewership, an unprecedented feat. However, her scope of influence isn’t limited to the US. 

The Clark fever has even made its way to Iceland, a small European island nation with a population of less than 400,000 and virtually no relevant basketball history. Former Iceland national team basketball player Helena Sverrisdóttir and 400-meter hurdles phenom Silja Úlfarsdóttir organized a watch party in Reykjavik, the country’s capital, for fans to witness the rookie create history.

They saw her score 35 points in the Indiana Fever’s win over the Dallas Wings and break the WNBA’s rookie record for most points in a season. The game ended well past midnight in Iceland, but the women in attendance stayed until the final buzzer.

Icelandic news outlet Vísir’s journalist Ágúst Orri Arnarson was among those in attendance. He asked Sverrisdóttir and Úlfarsdóttir why they organized the event. The duo responded they wanted basketball to grow in their nation and Clark’s rise has provided them a terrific opportunity to drum up interest among women. They told Iceland’s TV channel Stöðvar 2,

“We were wondering if people were interested in the WNBA. I would say that we know the answer today.”

“Hopefully this will be an event that ignites a spark”

The watch party was a raging success as some young girls showed up in Clark’s Fever jersey to cheer her on. They also gleefully spoke about their love for her during the interview with Stöðvar 2.

Clark’s impact on women’s basketball is unlike anything the sport has ever experienced. While the world continues tuning in to the WNBA due to the rookie, her treatment back home has often been lacking, which has been critiqued by those watching it from a distance.

Greek star calls out the ill-treatment of Caitlin Clark in the US 

Clark has been on the receiving end of some rough fouls and sinister comments from current and former WNBA players. Her treatment has been frowned upon by many, including players from overseas.

During an interview with Olympiacos star Eleanna Christinaki, a Greek commentator asked her about Clark’s rough treatment in the WNBA and the disdain that some former players have shown toward her. She responded,

“She hasn’t been welcomed as a rookie by other players. That is also a part of American culture in general.”

Clark’s contribution to helping women’s basketball grow remains a divisive subject in the US. However, those across the Atlantic and around the globe are making it clear that the rookie is solely responsible for the sudden spike in interest in the sport.