The NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship saw an increase in viewership this year, with an average of 14.8 million people tuning in to watch the UConn Huskies defeat the Purdue University Boilermakers. However, the men’s championship fell short of the viewership numbers seen during the women’s championship game, which drew an estimated 18.7 million viewers. This marked the first time in history that the women’s championship audience surpassed that of the men’s final. Despite the increased viewership for the men’s championship compared to last year, it still couldn’t match the record-breaking numbers of the women’s game.
The women’s championship game between the University of South Carolina and Iowa was the most-watched basketball game since 2019, surpassing both men’s and women’s games at the pro and college level. It was also the most-watched spring sporting event in the last five years, with the exception of football and the Olympics. In contrast, the most-watched men’s final dating back to 1995 was in 1997 when the University of Arizona beat Kentucky, drawing in 28,364,000 viewers. The women’s championship game not only attracted more viewers but also commanded higher ticket prices for the semifinals and championship games in Cleveland compared to the men’s Final Four in Glendale, Arizona.
The success of women’s college basketball this year can be attributed to star players like Caitlin Clark from Iowa and Angel Reese from LSU, who drew in more fans and viewers with their exceptional performances. Iowa broke viewership records for women’s college basketball multiple times during the tournament, with a significant increase in viewership heading into the Final Four. Celebrities like Jason Sudeikas, Darius Rucker, Megan Rapinoe, and Kylie Kelce made appearances at the women’s Final Four and championship games, showing their support for women’s sports. The success of the women’s tournament went beyond television viewership, with Clark and Iowa selling out multiple road games and nearly all home games in Iowa City.
ESPN, the network that aired the women’s championship and tournament games, will be releasing a “complete look at the viewership records” set during the women’s championship and March Madness. It will be interesting to see how much viewership for the women’s tournament improved overall and what impact this year’s success will have on the future of women’s college basketball. With the increased interest and support for women’s sports, it is possible that the viewership numbers for the women’s tournament will continue to grow in the coming years. Stay tuned for more updates on the viewership and success of women’s college basketball.
