Popular Sports Talk Host, Former NFL Player to Host Show in Iowa City
The media coverage and fandom surrounding Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team has been reaching critical mass over the last several weeks. From breaking the NCAA scoring record to helping the Iowa Hawkeyes secure another Big Ten Tournament bid, and everything in between, Caitlin Clark is a superstar beyond the statelines of Iowa.
It's attracted the attention of even casual sports fans, and now, one of the most popular sports talk show hosts working today will be coming to the Hawkeye state to do his show just in time for the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament...
The one and only Pat McAfee of The Pat McAfee Show will be coming to Iowa City later this month. He and his crew will be doing a show from the University of Iowa's Field House on March 22nd, 2024. He made this announcement on his show on Wednesday, March 13th.
McAfee also revealed that former Iowa Hawkeye and Indianapolis Colts tight end Dallas Clark is expected to stop by the show and offer commentary on the NCAA Women's Tournament. The Round of 64 will begin on March 22nd, the day McAfee plans to host his show from Iowa City.
March 22nd will either be the day the Iowa Hawkeyes tip off their championship aspirations and begin their March Madness run, or, conversely, the Hawkeye women won't play until that Saturday:
Iowa is experiencing a once in a generation type-run that will catapult the Iowa Hawkeyes into a successful organization for the next 20 years probably because of what Caitlin Clark is doing [....] This is a cool thing. This is a cool moment. We want to support the women's March Madness as well, because we watched last year. It is electrifying. - Pat McAfee on preparing to do the show from Iowa City.
Of course, the announcement wouldn't be signature Pat McAfee without a little added humor. Ty Schmit, one of Pat McAfee's long-time producers who attended the University of Iowa, clarified the filming location for the show when, mid-announcement, McAfee asked, "where the hell is this show happening at?"
Schmit clarified the show will be shot in the Field House, where the men's basketball team used to play many decades ago before being made into a rec center. Schmit added he couldn't wait not only to get back on campus after being away from the University of Iowa for a long time, but also to see just how palpable the buzz around Clark is in person.
McAfee added that there's a chance the show could take place in Carver-Hawkeye Arena if the game is held on Saturday as opposed to Wednesday, March 22nd.
McAfee has remarked about Caitlin Clark several times on his show, most notably when he opined that she might be the biggest "dawg" in all of sports after she broke the NCAA Women's Division I scoring record:
Caitlin Clark is a stone-cold DAWG! [....] There's a chance she could be a little tight. A little nervous [....] History is literally watching her play basketball, and in moments past whenever that situation has arose in many spots, maybe you're a little bit overthinking when you can be tight and you can miss, she has her best game as an Iowa Hawkeye. - Pat McAfee on Caitlin Clark breaking the NCAA Women's Division I scoring record
Read more about Pat McAfee and The Pat McAfee Show coming to Iowa City on KCRG's website.
READ ABOUT HOW AN ARTIST PAINTED A MURAL OF CAITLIN CLARK IN INDIANA
Views from the Hawkeyes/Badgers Football Game on 10-14-23
Gallery Credit: Steve Pulaski