Ratings for the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament National Championship Game have not yet been released, but they are expected to present high and potentially record-breaking levels of viewership. The matchup ended in a victory for the South Carolina Gamecocks, marking the program’s second National Championship in three years. Nonetheless, Iowa posted a valiant performance in the final game for superstar guard Caitlin Clark, who will declare for the WNBA Draft and leave the NCAA as its all-time scoring leader. Jim Costa and Jon Jansen, morning show co-hosts on 97.1 The Ticket, understand the magnitude of the moment and how the “Caitlin Clark effect” has revolutionized women’s sports, precipitating sustained growth and an optimistic forecast.
“This is not the patronizing ‘you go girl’ thing,” Costa explained on Monday’s edition of Costa & Jansen with Heather. “People are legitimately invested in these games, so much so that I saw people complaining about refereeing calls; that I saw older players trying to minimize Caitlin Clark’s legacy; I saw hot takes whether she’s an all-time great. We’re doing hot takes about women’s basketball. This is a legitimate moment for the sport when we’re doing all the things we would do with the men’s game with the women’s game.”
Jansen added that South Carolina had a remarkable run throughout the year, becoming the fifth team in the history of NCAA women’s basketball to have an undefeated season and win the National Championship. Additionally, he acknowledged the run from Clark and shared that he wanted Iowa to win the National Championship after her historic season. South Carolina ended up reigning supreme over its competition in the end, officially completing a perfect season by collecting no losses.
“Their only loss [in] the last two seasons was to Iowa last year in the tournament, and then they rebound to win the title,” Costa said. “Yeah, cool story for South Carolina, the Caitlin Clark effect putting extra eyeballs on the women’s basketball game.”
TBS will televise the NCAA Division I Men’s National Championship Game on Monday night at 9:20 p.m. EST between the Purdue Boilermakers and UConn Huskies. Ian Eagle will make his National Championship Game debut as the lead play-by-play announcer, and he will be joined by analysts Bill Raftery and Grant Hill, and reporter Tracy Wolfson.
Being within Eastern Standard Time (EST), Costa believes that the game is beginning too late, especially since he is now a regular morning drive host. Costa took over the role previously held by Mike Stone after he officially retired from full-time work at 97.1 The Ticket in February.
“Come on now, okay,” Jansen replied. “Basketball games – they don’t last very long. About two hours, but really, you’re going to start that game at 9:20? Why not 8:20?”
