• Loading stock data...
Saturday, July 12, 2025

WBB Tournament To Be Aired On National TV

  • For the first time, every game of this year’s NCAA women’s tournament will be aired on a nationally televised ESPN broadcast.
  • ESPN, which owns exclusive rights to the women’s tournament, will build on the recent increased ratings for marquee women’s basketball games.
David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

On Feb. 15, the NCAA DI Women’s Basketball Committee revealed its first 16 selections for the 2021 tournament, which tips off March 21 from San Antonio. The four No. 1 seeds are UConn, South Carolina, Stanford, and Louisville.

For the first time ever, every game of this year’s tournament will be aired on a nationally televised ESPN broadcast.

ESPN, which owns exclusive rights to the women’s tournament, will build on the recent increased ratings for marquee women’s basketball games.

The Tournament that Wasn’t

Last year’s tournament, which was canceled, would have been the first covered in full on national television.

The original 2020 decision was “a direct result of the ever-growing popularity of women’s college basketball,” Carol Stiff, ESPN vice president of women’s sports programming and acquisitions, said in a statement at the time. 

The 2019 Women’s Final Four, for example, saw an 8% jump in ratings from the previous season.

UConn’s Broadcast Records

Women’s games, when televised widely, have proven they can attract impressive audience numbers. Last month’s game between UConn and DePaul was the first women’s college basketball game ever televised on Fox.

In early February, a prime-time matchup between No. 2 UConn and No. 1 South Carolina, which featured an overtime win starring freshman phenom Paige Bueckers, set a record as the most watched women’s college basketball game ever on FS1. 

The matchup between fourth-ranked Ohio State and Maryland men’s basketball, programmed right after the UConn vs. South Carolina game, garnered fewer viewers than the women’s showdown. 

More broadly, ratings for men’s games, from the College Football Playoff National Championship to Duke-UNC men’s basketball, have plummeted compared to previous years.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

NCAA: March Madness Expansion to 76 Teams ‘Still Viable’ for 2026

Negotiations continue with media rights holder CBS and TNT Sports.
Jul 10, 2025; Wimbledon, United Kingdom; Iga Swiatek of Poland at her on court interview after winning her match against Belinda Bencic of Switzerland on day 11 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.

Wimbledon Set to Deliver Strong Finals Matchup for ESPN

Novak Djokovic is still in the hunt for his 25th Grand Slam.

Featured Today

Bobbleheads are seen at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently.

Baseball’s Bobbleheads Are the Center of the Collectibles Universe

Baseball’s most important keepsake drives long lines—and big business.
Rimouski, QC - JUNE 1: Final Game of the 2025 Memorial Cup between the Medicine Hats Tigers and the London Knights on June 1, 2025, at the Colisée Financière Sun Life in Rimouski, Qc.
July 11, 2025

CHL Is Facing a ‘Pandora’s Box’ of Questions Amid NCAA Talent Departure

As players defect to college, the Canadian Hockey League won’t cede ground.
Jun 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) bats during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field.
July 9, 2025

The Torpedo Bat Business Is Still Going Strong: ‘Here to Stay’

Demand for the oddly shaped bats has stayed strong across the sport.
July 6, 2025

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

As U.S. team prices climb, investors set their sights abroad.
The Florida State Seminoles hosted the Florida Gators at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.

Athletic Departments Express Renewed Interest in PE in Wake of House Settlement

Schools now have more expenses—and are looking for creative solutions.
Apr 4, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard KK Arnold (2)1 dribbles against UCLA Bruins forward Angela Dugalic (32) during the third quarter in a semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament at Amalie Arena.
July 10, 2025

‘Kind of a Joke’: Frustrations Mount As New NIL Deal Approval Process..

Delays have already led to athletes losing NIL opportunities.
July 10, 2025

Deion Sanders Rips ‘Bulljunk’ in CFB, Calls for NFL-Style Salary Cap

Coach Prime is frustrated with the new revenue-sharing era.
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
Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Head coaches Willie Fritz of Houston, Mike Gundy of Oklahoma State, Rich Rodriguez of West Virginia, Lance Leipold of Kansas, Sonny Dykes of TCU, Kyle Whittingham of Utah, Brent Brennan of Arizona and Deion Sanders of Colorado all sit on stage for a Coaches Roundtable during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star.
July 9, 2025

Big 12 Commish: Conference Is ‘All In’ on International Expansion

The conference had once planned a large initiative in Mexico.
Sebastian Rivera (R) tf. Danny Coles 6:47 (20-3). Rutgers University Wrestling vs Princeton in Piscataway, NJ on February 18, 2022.
July 9, 2025

The House Settlement Is Being Appealed. It Won’t Stop Revenue-Sharing—for Now

The settlement’s approval on June 6 triggered an appeals process.
July 9, 2025

Big Ten, Big 12 Commissioners Remain Far Apart on CFP’s Future

A decision on expansion must be made by December.
TSU Hockey at Bridgestone
July 8, 2025

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

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