NCAA women’s championship game achieves highest viewership for basketball game in half a decade.

South Carolina’s triumph over Iowa in the women’s NCAA championship game on Sunday garnered significant attention, with a preliminary audience average of 18.7 million viewers across ABC and ESPN. This makes it one of the most-watched basketball games since 2019, second only to major football events, the World Cup, and the Olympics. Nielsen’s final numbers are yet to be released, but the audience is expected to increase, having already peaked at 24 million.

This viewership milestone marks a notable surge, with a remarkable 89% increase compared to last year’s championship game. It’s also a staggering 285% larger than the audience for South Carolina’s previous title victory two years ago. In fact, this women’s final even surpasses the viewership of recent NBA games, indicating the growing popularity and significance of women’s basketball on the national stage.

Furthermore, the game’s success extends beyond traditional basketball audiences, with ESPN and ABC noting that it attracted the largest viewership for a Sunday afternoon sporting event since January 10, 2021. This underscores the game’s broad appeal and its ability to captivate audiences across various demographics.

Caitlin Clark and Iowa have played a pivotal role in driving these impressive viewership figures, with their matchups consistently drawing significant attention throughout the tournament. From their thrilling victory over UConn to their intense Elite Eight showdown against LSU, each game has showcased the talent and excitement that define women’s college basketball.

As the final numbers await confirmation, one thing is clear: women’s basketball is commanding attention like never before, and its influence continues to grow with each thrilling matchup on the court.

 

Coco Gauff’s triumph at the US Open sets a record as the most-watched Women’s Major Tennis Final ever on ESPN.

The Women’s Championship at the 2023 US Open made history as American rising star Coco Gauff faced off against Aryna Sabalenka, now the new World No. 1, in the most-viewed Women’s Final of any tennis major ever on ESPN. Gauff’s victory marked the second most-viewed telecast for the US Open overall, behind only Serena Williams’ final match in 2022, and was also the most-streamed telecast of the 2023 tournament on ESPN+.

Overall, the 2023 US Open Men’s and Women’s Championships on ESPN averaged 2.8 million viewers, up 40% compared to 2022, making it the second most-viewed US Open of all time on ESPN, behind only 2019’s Championships.

In the Women’s Championship, Gauff’s win drew 3.4 million viewers on ESPN, a 92% increase compared to last year’s Women’s Championship, making it the most-viewed Major Women’s Championship ever. The women’s championship was also the most-streamed telecast of the tournament on ESPN+.

In the Men’s Championship, Novak Djokovic’s victory over Daniil Medvedev, securing his record-setting 24th Grand Slam title, averaged 2.3 million viewers, up 8% year-over-year, becoming the most-viewed US Open men’s final since Rafael Nadal faced Medvedev in the 2019 final.

The semifinals, both for women and men, combined were the most-viewed of all time on ESPN, averaging 1.9 million viewers, up 1% from the previous record in 2022.

Thursday’s women’s semifinal matches between Gauff and Karolina Muchova, and American Madison Keys vs. Aryna Sabalenka, delivered 1.8 million viewers on ESPN, representing an increase of 56% over last year.

Overall, the 2023 US Open coverage across ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 averaged 1 million viewers, up 25% from 2021, but down 17% year over year due in part to the significant interest surrounding Serena Williams’ final US Open appearance in 2022.