$3,100,000 NIL-valued Caitlin Clark set to have a personal reporter from ESPN during March Madness: Reports

ESPN is reportedly assigning Holly Rowe to cover the "Caitlin Clark beat" during the 2024 edition of the NCAA women's tournament. Rowe, a four-decade veteran who joined the acclaimed sports network in 1998, will also be the sideline reporter for the Iowa Hawkeyes' opening-round encounters in March Madness.

The Athletic's Richard Deitsch was the first to report the news.

Clark has become a national icon, as she has broken both the NCAA women's all-time scoring record and the NCAA's all-time scoring record. Her NIL valuation sky-rocketed as a result, with On3 having her at $3.1 million in NIL deals. She's the second highest-ranked woman in the rankings, behind LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne.

ESPN's vice president of production, Sara Gaiero, said this about the decision:

“[Holly] has been on the Caitlin Clark beat, if you will, tracking and following her and being present with her when she broke records earlier in the year, that level of coverage is needed and necessary and warranted this year. It’s not something we’ve done for the previous first and second rounds for a specific player.”

The Hawkeyes defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers earlier in the month to be crowned Big Ten champions for the third straight time. Clark was selected as the tournament's most outstanding player for the third year in a row.

West Virginia coach ready to pick a fight with Caitlin Clark

While the first-round opponent of the Iowa Hawkeyes is unknown at this point, due to the bracket configuration, it is highly likely they will face the West Virginia Mountaineers in the second one.

Mountaineers coach Mark Kellogg seems ready to pick up a fight with the college basketball star and said during Selection Sunday:

“I told them, win one and let’s send Caitlin Clark packing.”

Time will only tell if these remarks will come back to bite him.