There were already pockets of Hawkeyes fans scattered about the Target Center this week more than 48 hours before Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark took the floor.

That number is expected to skyrocket over the next few days, with Clark descending upon the Twin Cities, and bringing nearly 110,000 people along for the ride.

Though it isn’t fair to say Clark is the only reason for the announced sellout at the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament this week, it probably isn’t far off when diving into the imapct she has had on the sport. The numbers speak for themselves this year as Clark has helped sell out pretty much every building she’s played in.

The hype has hit a peak as of late with Clark pursuing — and recently surpassing — the NCAA all-time scoring record previously held by legendary LSU gunner Pete Maravich. She broke the record in the final game of the regular season and her encore will come on Friday night when No. 2 seed Iowa opens the Big Ten tournament Thursday against either No. 7 seed Penn State or No. 10 seed Wisconsin.

As a way to fully encapsulate Clark’s impact, the Pioneer Press canvassed the crowd this week, tracking down a large number of Hawkeyes fans to share their experience. The common refrain was that nobody wants to miss a chance to see Clark in action. Not with her on the verge of being the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

“We’re kind of obsessed,” said Allison Bakrow of the Quad Cities, who made the trip to the Twin Cities with her sister Ashley Bakrow, and traveled to Dallas last year to watch Clark play in the NCAA Women’s Final Four. “She’s the GOAT. Just watching her play is magic. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Those feelings are shared by pretty much everybody who has watched Clark play either in person or on television.

“It’s been great to witness it from the beginning,” said Emily Randall of Waukee, Iowa, a season-ticket holder who drives a couple of hours each way for home games at Carver Hawkeye Arena on campus in Iowa City. “You never know what she’s going to do next. That’s the most exciting thing about it. It’s never the same because there’s always a new shot she’s going to take or a new pass she’s going to make.”

Those who weren’t lucky enough to get their hands on season tickets this year — it was the hottest ticket in town in Iowa City, Iowa — used the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament this week as a way to see Clark in person once more before she turns pro.

“You watch any TV station the past couple of weeks and see Caitlin Clark everywhere,” said John Cain of Ankeny, Iowa. “We saw some tickets going for like $4,000 last week. We’ve gone to several games in the past. We just couldn’t get them this year, so we figured we could at least see her here.”

The amount of people in downtown Minneapolis this week has been palpable. The hotel occupancy is near capacity with restaurants already seeing an uptick in business, according to Adam Duininck, President and CEO of the Minneapolis Downtown Council.

“The numbers are pretty significant,” Duininck said. “I think last summer for (a) Taylor Swift (concert) had that similar feel where it was a lot of people flocking to downtown. That’s probably the other busiest time I’ve seen it downtown since the pandemic. It’s great to see the city humming again.”

There is no doubt in Duininck’s mind that Clark is the biggest reason for the influx.

“She’s probably the most popular athlete in the country right now,” he said. “It’s really exciting to have her playing here.”

As special as it has been to see Clark take the basketball world by storm, the Big Ten Conference as a whole is trying to make sure her impact has staying power.

“We want to make sure this isn’t just a moment in time,” said Kerry Kenny, Chief Operating Officer for the Big Ten Conference. “It’s been really cool seeing parents with their young children at these games. You can tell it really means something. Now we’re hoping to develop that next generation of athletes and fans that are going to latch on to this feeling and continue pushing it forward.”

Maybe in a decade or so there will be a new version of Caitlin Clark captivating the masses with her incredible play. In the meantime, the current version of Caitlin Clark is more than enough, her impact on and off the court undeniable.

“It’s been amazing to be a part of,” said Kris Walter of Oxford, Iowa, “She’s made Iowa very proud.”

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