BRISTOL, Conn.—The ongoing rise in popularity of women’s basketball was on full display during the Women’s Final Four National Championship games, which shattered viewing records.
UConn versus Iowa delivered 14.2 million viewers and the NCAA Women’s Final Four scored an average audience of 10.8 million on ESPN. That make the Huskies-Hawkeyes the most-watched women’s college basketball game on record, according to Nielsen Fast Nationals. It was also the largest audience for a ESPN basketball broadcast and the most viewed college event ever on ESPN+.
UConn-Iowa game peaked at 17 million viewers while the NC State-South Carolina peaked with 9 million viewers, respectively. The two games averaged 3.1 million in the 18 to 49 demo, up more than 130% year-over-year.