The Clark family doesn’t seem to think the rules apply to them

Caitlin Clark's dad broke one of the most common rules in sportsCaitlin Clark’s dad broke one of the most common rules in sportsAP / ESPN

For sports superstars like Iowa‘s Caitlin Clark, the same rules don’t always apply to them. You can see this in the calls Clark gets from referees and her petulant protests over the calls she doesn’t. But at their last game, Clark’s dad proved in a viral video that she had a role model for breaking the rules long before she reached basketball stardom.

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As the ESPN cameras cut to Caitlin Clark’s dad, Brent, he was digging deep into his pocket while chewing something in his mouth, leading fans watching the game to believe he snuck snacks into the arena.

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Like all sports venues, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, the site of the NCAA Women’s Final Four, does not allow outside food. Brent, like his daughter Caitlin, did not feel like the rules applied to him.

Whether it’s at movie theaters or sports events, smuggling in food is a common practice around the country. It’s a way to save a few bucks instead of paying extreme stadium food prices, although it’s safe to say the Clark family isn’t hurting in that department.

Caitlin Clark’s NIL portfolio, worth over $3 million, and her widely-assumed position as the No. 1 pick in this year’s upcoming WNBA Draft mean that he could certainly afford an overpriced hot dog and some popcorn.

Who is Caitlin Clark’s dad?

Brent Clark was a two-sport college athlete in Iowa and coached Caitlin throughout her childhood. He is married to Caitlin’s mom, Anne, who works in marketing and manages her daughter’s image rights through CC22 Ventures LLC. They have a son, Blake, who played football at Iowa State and has also been seen at many of his little sister’s games.

“I see a lot of myself at times in Caitlin in terms of her passion for the game,” Brent once said to KCRG-TV9. “All in all, that’s really what drives her and makes her the player that she is.”

Like all great competitors, Clark looks for an edge anywhere she can find it. This mentality has been instilled by her father, whose willingness to break the rules was on full display.