Women's basketball set historical records on biggest stage

For the first time ever, Women's basketball was the talk of the town, out doing men's competition. Some could say it was the Caitlin Clark effect, while others would say it was the controversial topic of the double standard between Angel Reese and Clarks' competitiveness, which created a social media buzz on social media platforms. Also, it could have been, who would take down Dawn Staley and that undefeated SC team. Either way, the world was chirping about women's basketball.

The 2023 NCAA Women’s Final Four in Dallas, Texas was ESPN’s most-viewed Final Four weekend on record, averaging 6.5 million viewers. The tournament saw a heavy increased 87 percent increase from last years' Final Four tournament

The National Semifinals averaged 4.5 million viewers, which is the most-viewed semifinal round on record on ESPN platforms. The much-anticipated Iowa vs. South Carolina matchup attracted 5.6 million viewers, becoming ESPN’s third most-viewed women’s college basketball game on record, and drawing a 74 percent increase from 2022’s late-night window.

“The overwhelming success of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament is a testament to the incredible performances by this year’s student athletes,” said Nick Dawson, ESPN vice president of programming. “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. 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.”