Women's college basketball sets players up for success with well-established fan bases. The WNBA does not.
A record-breaking 18.7 million viewers watched the women’s NCAA title game between the University of Iowa Hawkeyes and the South Carolina Gamecocks Sunday afternoon, which is not only more viewers than any women’s final ever, but is more than any men’s final since 2019 and more than any NBA final since 2016 (when 24.5 million watched the Golden State Warriors defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers.
And while it is true that some women’s sports are gaining in viewership generally — women’s softball and volleyball viewership are also up — it was undoubtedly true that this season’s NCAA tournament numbers were driven almost entirely by Clark. The most watched games of the tournament all featured Clark. Her semifinal game against UConn outdrew South Carolina’s semifinal game 14.2 million to 7.1 million, and her regional final game against LSU outdrew the next closest regional final 12.3 million to 6.7 million.
“Women’s college teams have been able to exploit the iconography and legacy of their universities athletic department as a whole to tap into the tribalism of their schools fanbase. Playing under the same logo as teams who have traditionally held vast media attention and built strong brand value has allowed seamless transition of football and men’s basketball fans into the women’s college game.”“For valid reasons, WNBA franchises chose to have independent identities from NBA teams.
If not, she is still a historic player who has elevated the women’s tournament to new heights and she will be handsomely rewarded for that accomplishment.
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