The stars had aligned for the 2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship Game.
Iowa’s Caitlin Clark has grown wildly in popularity, while LSU’s Angel Reese has proven to be one of the best players in the country. The Tigers are coached by the legendary Kim Mulkey. Many wondered if the title matchup would be the most-watched game in the tournament’s history.
Ultimately, it did reach that record. The contest saw an average of 9.9 million viewers, peaking at 12.6 million. That figure represents a 103% increase over last year’s South Carolina/UConn final.
Additionally, ESPN claims the broadcast is the most-watched college sporting event in the history of the ESPN+ streaming service.
The record-breaking viewership total continues the trend ESPN has experienced with the 2023 tournament. First-round viewership saw a 27% increase compared to 2022.
The news of the massive audience for the Championship Game comes on the heels of new NCAA President Charlie Baker claiming the organization is “going to work really hard” on securing a separate television contract for the event. Currently, the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament is included in the NCAA’s television deal with ESPN for 29 championship events. That contract pays the NCAA $34 million per season.
According to a study commissioned by the NCAA, the Women’s Basketball Tournament could be worth between $80-$110 million by itself.
