ESPN is seeing substantial momentum across its college basketball coverage, with both its women’s and men’s packages delivering significant audience gains that underscore the network’s continued influence in shaping the sport’s national conversation.
Through February 9, women’s college basketball games across ESPN platforms are averaging a 33% increase compared to last season, putting the network on track for its most-watched season in 17 years and reinforcing the sustained growth the sport has experienced over the past several cycles.
Meanwhile, men’s college basketball telecasts have climbed 25% year-over-year, positioning ESPN for its strongest season in more than a decade and signaling renewed engagement as conference races intensify.
ESPN has aired nine of the 20 most-watched women’s college basketball games across all networks this season, including five of the top 10, as the network continues to invest heavily in premier matchups and high-profile windows that have resonated with viewers.
Three games have surpassed the one million viewer mark, illustrating the ceiling the sport continues to raise on national television.
ESPN platforms have already televised 12 women’s games averaging more than 500,000 viewers, four more than at this stage last year, and account for 19 of the top 20 games on cable. Overall, ESPN represents 48% of all live minutes watched in women’s college basketball this season, the largest share among network groups and a reflection of its expansive schedule and distribution footprint.
On the men’s side, ESPN has televised 10 of the 20 most-watched games across all networks, including three contests that eclipsed two million viewers and reaffirmed the drawing power of blue-blood programs in marquee time slots.
The first Duke–North Carolina meeting of the season averaged 3.5 million viewers and peaked at 4.8 million during the final minutes of North Carolina’s 71–68 victory, ranking as ESPN’s most-watched men’s college basketball telecast since Mike Krzyzewski’s final home game in 2022. Across all networks, the matchup stands as the third-most watched game of the season and the highest-rated contest without the benefit of an NFL lead-in.
ESPN’s Big Monday franchise, a staple of the network’s college basketball coverage since 1987, has also delivered strong returns, with early-season windows averaging 1.5 million viewers, an 81% increase from last year. The 86 games carried on ESPN are averaging 969,000 viewers, up 12% year-over-year and pacing for a six-year high.
In total, ESPN accounts for 45% of all live minutes watched in men’s college basketball this season and holds 29 of the top 30 cable telecasts.
College GameDay has mirrored that growth, with its women’s edition rising 22% year-over-year in its Feb. 1 outing and the men’s version pacing up 10%, including its most-watched regular season Saturday morning episode since 2015.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
