At an outdoor shopping center in downtown Phoenix, Caitlin Clark took time on Friday to make a memorable moment for fans through her partnership with State Farm.
The sign out front didn’t properly warn them.
There were multiple signs welcoming fans to a pop-up to meet Jake from State Farm — an affable character who’s widely seen in their commercials — and to win free items. But there was nothing about Caitlin Clark, the most popular player in women’s basketball.
Despite just being a rookie, she’s helping to take the WNBA and women’s game, as a whole, to new heights.
Attendance at Fever games and opposing venues is filled to capacity, they have 37 of 40 games scheduled to air on national TV and 14 of the top 16 most-watch WNBA games this season included Clark & the Indiana Fever.
Clark was voted into the WNBA All-Star game as a rookie, receiving a league-record 700,000 votes — more than seven times what top vote-getting A’ja Wilson received one year ago. So yes, Clark is the primary attraction.
On Friday afternoon, State Farm had an activation a half-mile north of Footprint Center, home of the WNBA All-Star game. Inside the Arizona Center outdoor shopping area, a worker welcomed fans inside for this State Farm event.
I overheard him warning the group: Please be patient. The line is moving slowly since Jake is taking his time with everyone, but it’ll be worth the wait.
Basketball fans entered, received free hats and other merchandize before it was their turn to go behind the curtain to meet Jake. Then, he set them up for a photo and as they posed, Clark sneakily came around the corner to slide in the photo.
Watch below as Fieldhouse Files takes you behind the scenes.
She photobombed it, and they found out when Jake asked to take a look after the photo was captured.
Then visitors experienced several emotions.
Stunned. Giddy. Overjoyed. Grateful.
Clark, dressed comfortably in a Nike Tech Fleece, crushed it and made it a memorable experience for all involved. There was also a camera crew in place to record the entire thing — suggesting that it might soon become a commercial series.
It was well done by Clark, Jake and the entire State Farm crew.
