ESPN Sets All-Time Record with NCAA Women's Basketball Title Game; Biggest College Game Audience in ESPN+ History (2024)

On Sunday, the LSU Tigers defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes to win the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament by the record-breaking score of 102-85, but being the first women’s title game to reach triple digits wasn’t the only major milestone achieved in the game. The conclusion of the 2022-23 season saw a record-breaking 9.9 million average viewers tune in to see LSU’s Angel Reese outduel Iowa’s Caitlin Clark across the ESPN family of networks, making it the most-watched women’s college basketball game in history.

On the streaming front, the worldwide leader in sports reported that viewership peaked at 12.6 million making it the most-viewed college event in ESPN+ history. The game was also the most watched men’s or women’s basketball game ever to air on ESPN platforms. The total represented a 104% year-over-year increase, undoubtedly fueled by the buzz and excitement generated throughout the rest of the tournament. That was one of many new high marks set during the tournament, which was presented exclusively on ESPN networks.

In addition to the championship game success, ESPN boasted all-time women’s basketball viewership highs for the First Four, Sweet 16, Elite Eight, and Final Four rounds as well.

The Final Four and Championship weekend saw a cumulative 87% ratings increase over the 2022 edition in which the South Carolina Gameco*cks beat the UConn Huskies.

“The overwhelming success of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament is a testament to the incredible performances by this year’s student athletes,” ESPN VP of programming Nick Dawson said. “The record-setting viewership reflects fan appreciation of those performances, as well as the many years of hard work, creative scheduling, promotion and collaboration between the NCAA and ESPN.

“There are so many individuals who laid the foundation for this moment by pouring their heart and soul into this event for decades,” he said. “2023 marks a milestone in the growth of women’s college basketball and all of us at ESPN look forward to working with the NCAA to continue the upward trajectory of the sport and this signature event.”

Recently, an effort has been made to foster gender equality in sports coverage, and more attention is being paid to female athletes and women’s sports. This initiative has resulted in an increased awareness of women’s basketball, soccer, and other sports. For generations, women’s sports have not received the promotion and attention of their male counterparts, but as networks like ESPN have begun investing in women’s sports, they have realized that there are massive audiences for these teams, athletes, and leagues, as again evidenced by the record-breaking number of people who tuned in to the NCAA Women’s Basketball Title Game.