Friday night’s Final Four matchup between Iowa and Connecticut in women’s college basketball drew a record-breaking 14.2 million viewers, setting a new high for women’s college basketball viewership just days after the previous record was set. ESPN announced the impressive numbers on Saturday, revealing that the game was the most-watched women’s college basketball game ever on ESPN platforms. This marked a significant increase from the previous record of 12.3 million viewers set earlier in the week during a national championship rematch between Iowa and LSU.
The game between Iowa and UConn also made history as the most-viewed college event ever on ESPN+ and the network’s second-best non-football telecast ever, peaking at 17 million viewers. Caitlin Clark, the star player for Iowa, scored 21 points as Iowa defeated Connecticut 71-69 in the Final Four game in Cleveland, leading the team to its second-straight national championship game appearance. The average viewership for both the Iowa-UConn matchup and the other Final Four contest between NC State and South Carolina averaged 10.8 million viewers, making it the most-viewed women’s national semifinals on record, with a 138% increase in viewership year-over-year.
Looking ahead, viewers can expect to see high viewership for the national championship game. Last year’s championship game between LSU and Iowa drew an average of 9.9 million viewers, making it the most-viewed championship game on record with a 104% increase year-over-year. This year’s national championship game will feature Iowa facing off against undefeated South Carolina on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET. Surprisingly, the matchup between Iowa and UConn averaged more viewers than last year’s World Series, which averaged 9.1 million viewers per game, as well as the average viewership for the 2023 NBA Finals, which drew an average of 11.6 million viewers per game.
In a time where women’s sports are gaining more attention and recognition, the record-breaking viewership for the Final Four matchup between Iowa and UConn highlights the growing popularity and support for women’s college basketball. The success of this game, along with the increased viewership for the national semifinals, demonstrates the strong fan base and interest in women’s sports. As Iowa prepares to face off against South Carolina in the national championship game, all eyes will be on this highly anticipated matchup to see if it can surpass the impressive viewership numbers set during the Final Four games. The success of these games is a testament to the talented athletes and exciting competition in women’s college basketball.
