Men’s, Women’s Tournaments Highlight Continued Growth, Impact of College Basketball

Todd Greene 9ge J0h Pet Um Unsplash
Todd Greene, Unsplash

As millions of fans tuned into broadcasts and traveled to arenas, one of the world's most popular sporting events took center stage. Record-breaking ratings and crowds created yet another unforgettable March Madness season, highlighting the continued growth and impact of college basketball on a national scale. 

This growth and impact were especially evident on the women's side, as the Division I Women's Basketball Championship drew unprecedented audiences both on-site and on TV. For the first time, the women's title game drew more viewers than the men's, averaging 18.7 million viewers on ABC and ESPN and peaking at 24 million viewers. This made the game played between No. 1 seeds Iowa and South Carolina the most-watched women's college basketball game on record, as well as the most watched basketball game, men's or women's, since 2019. The 87-75 South Carolina victory was also the most-watched sporting event since 2019, excluding football and the Olympics. 

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