Caitlin Clark, Kate Martin, Sydney Affolter press conference after Iowa vs. LSU
Caitlin Clark, Kate Martin and Sydney Affolter speak to the media following the Iowa women’s basketball team’s win against LSU in the 2024 NCAA Tournament Elite 8.
Hawkeye women’s basketball, led by guard Caitlin Clark, continuously set television ratings records during the 2023-2024 season for both men’s and women’s college basketball.
More people are watching women’s basketball overall. The 2024 Women’s NCAA Tournament is up 127% year-over-year in viewership, according to The Walt Disney Company. The Elite Eight alone averaged 6.2 million viewers and was up 184% year-over-year, according to ESPN.
Hawkeye women’s basketball doubled that average during Elite Eight play and drew millions of viewers throughout the season. Just how many times has Hawkeye women’s basketball garnered record television ratings?
More ▼: How Much Money Is the “Caitlin Clark Effect” Generating for Iowa?
What were the ratings for LSU vs. Iowa?
The Iowa-LSU game was the most-watched of the women’s Elite Eight this season, contributing to the highest viewership for Elite Eight everAccording to EPSN.
The average audience for Iowa’s win over LSU in the Elite Eight was 12.3 million.
It had more viewers than four of five games in the 2022-2023 NBA Finals and eclipsed last year’s World Series, which drew 11.48 million viewers.
Viewership peaked at 16.1 million, making it ESPN’s second-largest audience for any basketball game since 2012
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How many have watched other Iowa women’s basketball games in the NCAA Tournament?
The ratings momentum continued for the Hawkeyes throughout the NCAA tournament.
Iowa’s first-round win drew 3.23 million on ABC, according to EPSN. During the win against West Virginia, it averaged 4.9 million viewers on ESPN.
The Hawkeyes’ win over Colorado in the Sweet 16 was the most-watched game of the round, averaging 6.9 million viewers on ABC, according to ESPN. By comparison, LSU’s Sweet 16 game against UCLA drew 3.8 million viewers.
More ▼: How Caitlin Clark’s Elite Eight performance against LSU compares to her biggest games
Did Iowa women’s basketball set a Big Ten tournament viewership record?
The Hawkeyes’ overtime victory against Nebraska in the Big Ten Championship game extended far beyond Minneapolis’ Target Center.
The game averaged 3 million viewers and peaked at 4.45 million in overtime to become the most-watched women’s college basketball game on CBS in 25 years.
What were the ratings for Caitlin Clark breaking the NCAA scoring record?
During the Ohio State-Iowa State women’s basketball game, an average of 3.39 million viewers watched Clark break the NCAA Division I scoring record. It was the second most watched college basketball game of the season.
The game fell short of the Arizona-Michigan State men’s basketball game with 5.18 million viewers, which was on Thanksgiving Day and followed an NFL game.
The win against Ohio State, which came on senior night for the Hokies, was the most-watched regular season women’s basketball game on any network since 1999 and the most-watched women’s basketball game ever on Fox.
How do the women’s college basketball ratings compare to last year?
The 2022-2023 women’s basketball national championship with Iowa vs. LSU had the most viewers, reaching a record 9.9 million, according to ESPN.
It was the most-watched men’s and women’s college basketball game, which Clark and the Hawkeyes broke during this year’s game against LSU.
More ▼: The Iowa-LSU clash in the Elite Eight became the most-watched women’s basketball game ever
Did the Iowa Hawkeyes set attendance records this year?
The Hawkeyes set a new attendance record for women’s basketball this fall when they hosted a battle against DePaul at Kinnick Stadium. The Crossover at Kinnick event drew 55,646 fans to the outdoor game.
The team also sold out Carver-Hawkeye Arena through season ticket sales, with 15,000 sold.
When does Caitlin Clark and Iowa play women’s basketball next?
The Hawkeyes will play UConn in the Final Four on April 5 at 8:30 p.m. The last time the two teams met in the tournament was the Sweet 16 in 2021 and UConn won 92-72.
Report contributed by Scooby Axon
Kate Keely is a general reporter for the Register. Contact her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter at @Keali17.
