• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, July 9, 2025

LSU-Iowa Final Becomes Most Watched Women’s College Basketball Game

  • ESPN’s Sunday telecast averaged 9.9 million viewers.
  • Angel Reese vs. Caitlin Clark showdown up 103% from last year’s title game.
Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Women’s college basketball had its moment during March Madness, shattering one record after another. But even the NCAA and the Walt Disney Co.’s ESPN probably did not expect the huge TV audience they attracted for Sunday’s Iowa vs. LSU women’s final.

ESPN’s telecast of the Tigers’ 102-85 win over the Hawkeyes averaged 9.9 million viewers. The duel between Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and LSU’s Angel Reese rewrote the record books. 

  • The game was easily the most-watched women’s college basketball game on record, topping the 5.7 million viewers for Connecticut vs. Oklahoma that had held the record since 2002.
  • Viewership was up 103% from last year’s women’s final between eventual champion South Carolina and Connecticut. The telecast peaked at a whopping 12.6 million viewers.
  • It was the most-viewed college event ever on the ESPN+ streaming platform for men’s and women’s sports.
  • The 9.9 million average topped marquee men’s events, such as this year’s Alabama vs. Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl (9.1 million viewers) and Tennessee vs. Clemson in the Orange Bowl (8.6 million viewers).
Caitlin Clark

Caitlin Clark Pulls Most-Watched Women’s Semifinal

Caitlin Clark and Iowa’s win over South Carolina was the most-watched semifinal.
April 1, 2023

TV viewers normally tune out blowouts. But the drama leading up to this year’s women’s final overrode the lopsided score, the early tipoff time (3:45 pm), and complaints about poor officiating.

In fact, the online debate about the whistle-happy refs, Clark’s phantom technical foul, and Reese’s alleged taunting only added to the interest. The game was trending all afternoon and into Monday on Twitter.  

Clark and Iowa’s previous Final Four over South Carolina previously set the record for the most-watched women’s semifinal.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

TSU Hockey at Bridgestone

Tennessee State’s HBCU Hockey Ambitions Delayed at Least a Year

The school will not launch the first-of-its-kind program as intended.

Has the WNBA Outgrown the Matinee Madness of Camp Days?

Caitlin Clark will return from injury in a Wednesday noon game.
Brooklyn, NY - June 25, 2025 - Barclays Center: Chiney Ogwumike on the set of NBA Today during round one of the 2025 NBA Draft

ESPN’s Chiney Ogwumike on Her Post-WNBA Second Act: ‘I Still Have to..

In her next chapter, Ogwumike is embarking on her new “greatest adventure.”
Paige Bueckers
exclusive

Women’s March Madness Expansion Wouldn’t Yield More ESPN Money

ESPN is not required to pay extra if women’s March Madness expands.

Featured Today

American Celebs Want to Be Sports Owners. Soccer Is Where They Start

As U.S. team prices climb, investors set their sights abroad.
July 5, 2025

Baseball’s Celebrity Row: Behind MLB’s First-Pitch Ritual

Often planned, sometimes spontaneous, the ritual throw is baseball’s celebrity row.
July 4, 2025

3,000 Hot Dogs, $20K in Prizes: Behind the Nathan’s Eating Contest

Nathan’s serves up thousands of hot dogs and $20,000 in prize money.
July 3, 2025

Geoffrey Esper Can’t Catch a Break at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

“Hot dogs is not one of my favorite competitions of the year.”
Feb 7, 2025; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies center Tarris Reed Jr. (5) reacts after his basket against the St. John's Red Storm in the first half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion.

After Decade Apart, ESPN and Big East Rekindle Media Rights Relationship

After a decade-plus apart, the network will stream hundreds of conference events.
July 2, 2025

Paramount Settles Trump Suit Ahead of NFL Season, Skydance Merger

The deal likely allows the much larger Skydance merger deal to proceed.
Jul 6, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Mexico forward Marcel Ruiz (14) heads the ball in front of United States midfielder Brenden Aaronson (11) in the second half during the 2025 Gold Cup Final at NRG Stadium.
July 7, 2025

USMNT Struggles Still Produce Big Gold Cup Ratings for Fox

The U.S. team’s recent issues culminated in a loss to Mexico.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
Leo Messi
June 27, 2025

TNT, Club World Cup Ride Messi to Surprisingly Solid Debut Ratings

TNT Sports carries about a third of matches in the U.S.
June 24, 2025

Fever vs. Aces Draws 5th-Largest TV Audience of 2025 WNBA Season

ESPN will carry seven more Indiana Fever games this year.
June 23, 2025

NBA Finals Game 7 Is Most-Watched Since 2019, but Series Drops 9%

Game 7 drew 16.35 million viewers, the most-watched NBA game since 2019.
June 19, 2025

Pacers Force Game 7, Could Spark Big Ratings Boost for NBA Finals

Game 7 could boost NBA Finals ratings after a slow start this year.