Alexis Morris #45 of the LSU Lady Tigers dribbles the ball against Kate Martin #20 of the Iowa Hawkeyes in the fourth quarter during the championship game of the 2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
The Women’s NCAA Finals between Louisiana State University and Iowa pulled 9.9 million viewers averaged on ABC and ESPN on Sunday, making it the most-watched women’s college basketball game in history.
Why it matters: The game marked the first time the women’s NCAA Finals was broadcast live on ABC. The audience success shows that there is great interest in women’s sport, especially when it is offered a larger platform.
- At its peak, the game was seen by 12.6 million viewers, ESPN said.
- The game was also the most viewed collegiate event of all time on ESPN+, ESPN’s streaming service.
Be smart: The spectator numbers show that women’s sport can keep up with major sporting events from the big men’s leagues.
- The 2021 NBA Finals averaged 9.89 million viewers on ABC, Sportico Remarks.
- Amazon’s NFL broadcasts attracted an average of 9.58 million viewers per game during the 2022 season.
The big picture: US women’s sports, particularly soccer and basketball, are emerging as popular investment vehicles for networks.
Yes but: Despite increases in viewership, women’s sport has historically struggled to generate the same types of media rights revenue as men’s sport.
- A 2021 report found that the NCAA undervalued women’s basketball by over $100 million.
- ESPN currently pays the NCAA about $34 million for women’s basketball rights, along with over two dozen other sports championship rights, Axios has found. This contract expires in the 2023-2024 season.
Something to see: According to Sports Business Journal, the NCAA has hired Endeavor to advise on its next media rights deal.
go deeper: Women’s sport commands greater rights deals
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