The NCAA Division I Championship, coined “March Madness” by many sports fans, jam-packed March and early April with college basketball. This year, the men’s and women’s tournaments reported high viewership, but the women’s tournament surprised many, as they averaged record-breaking numbers.
This viewership spike can be attributed to several key women’s college basketball players. Each Final Four team featured its own superstar: LSU’s Angel Reese, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, Virginia Tech’s Georgia Amoore and South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston. Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark are particularly identifiable stars. Reese and Clark led their teams to extraordinary regular season performances, with LSU clocking a 94% overall win-rate and Iowa ending with an 82% overall win-rate.
Even before the championship game, the traction surrounding women’s sports had increased exponentially because of the hype surrounding the players. The Final Four contests appreciated a 65% increase in viewership compared to the 2022 tournament, averaging 4.5 million viewers. LSU won their bout against Virginia Tech 79-72, with Reese putting up 24 points and 12 rebounds. Iowa, led by Clark’s 41-point triple-double, beat South Carolina 77-73.
Unsurprisingly, the championship game averaged a record-breaking 10 million viewers and peaked at 12.6 million on ABC. The face-off ended with LSU on top, beating Iowa 102-85, and the reactions were immediate. Iowa and LSU trended on Twitter, ESPN released tens of segments about the stars and what it meant for the sport, and Reese even received criticism for her celebrations toward the end of the game.
Regardless of the media frenzy, women’s basketball seems to be on the rise, and both teams are moving on. Several players from LSU have declared for the WNBA draft. Reese and Clark continue to rest as they celebrate their achievements and prepare for the next season.
