Longtime ESPN reporter Holly Rowe openly weeps before WNBA game and Caitlin Clark is to blame

Longtime ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe couldn't contain herself during Tuesday's Indiana Fever-Toronto Tempo game in Canada.

And it had nothing to do with the game itself.

In fact, it all went down before the game tipped off.

Rowe, a fierce advocate for women's sports and the WNBA, filmed her emotional reaction to the sold-out arena before the game started.

The nearly minute-long video featured crowd shots and a crying Rowe as she soaked it all in.

CAITLIN CLARK KEEPS DELIVERING RECORD WNBA VIEWERSHIP AS FEVER TOP 1 MILLION VIEWERS YET AGAIN "I'm trying to work a basketball game tonight," she started before covering her mouth as she was overcome with emotion.

"But I keep crying because look at what they have built.

I literally cannot quit crying to do my job right now.

I mean, we have 19,000 people coming tonight to watch women's basketball and I'm just so proud.

"I'm just really proud." What a moment for Holly Rowe! Was it a little odd that her first instinct during this groundbreaking moment was to hit record and turn the camera to herself for 30 seconds while she cried? Sure.

No argument there.

It certainly wouldn't have been my first move.

CAITLIN CLARK HELPS WNBA SHATTER ANOTHER TV RATINGS RECORD AS FEVER-DREAM DRAWS MASSIVE AUDIENCE But this is 2026, folks.

This is how the world operates.