Millions across the country were expected to tune in Friday night for the NCAA women’s basketball Final Four. Chicago coaches say the interest is “thrilling.”
UConn graduates Ashleigh Scahill, center, and Anna Heinrich laugh while taking in the first women’s NCAA Tournament Final Four game of the night between South Carolina and North Carolina State on TV at Whiskey Girl Tavern on North Clark Street in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood on April 5, 2024. The two are hoping for a victory for UConn over Iowa in the second game.
In part due to superstar athletes such as Clark and LSU’s Angel Reese, viewership for women’s college basketball has risen dramatically in recent years. Iowa’s 94-87 victory over LSU in the Elite Eight on Monday night averaged 12.3 million viewers on ESPN, according to Nielsen, making it one of the most-watched games in any sport other than NFL football over the past year.
At UIC, attendance has increased about 200% in the past two years, Bracey said. With more media coverage and accessible games, Bracey said she anticipates new women’s basketball fans showing up to WNBA games and other college games. The WNBA has already seen an increase in ticket sales after Clark announced her plans to enter the draft.
“I’m so proud of this team, this group of girls, and this university. Not only are they great players, but their character is amazing,” she said. “If I had a daughter, these are the women I would want her to look up to.” Interest in women’s sports in general has grown at a “meteoric pace,” Nielsen’s data showed. The 2023 NCAA championship for women’s volleyball also saw attendance at matches and television ratings
“This year, people have been following these players and these athletes and these teams,” she said. “There’s people that are obviously huge fans. … Then there’s people looking for something fun to do because of the camaraderie.”
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