The fervor for college sports in the United States has set a new record. The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) women’s basketball game attracted 12.3 million TV viewers, breaking the all-time high.
According to ESPN, the women’s college basketball game between the University of Iowa and Louisiana State University occurred on the 2nd (Korean time). Nielsen’s tally reported 12.3 million viewers for the match. This surpasses the 11.84 million recorded for the 1983 game between the University of Southern California and Louisiana Tech, setting a record for the most-watched women’s college basketball game ever.
This viewership surpasses the average viewership of 11.64 million for a single NBA championship game last year and 9.1 million for a single World Series game, underscoring the growing interest in women’s college basketball.
Interestingly, despite being a quarterfinal match, this game attracted significant attention, largely attributed to the University of Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark. Clark set the all-time scoring record (3,900 points) across men’s and women’s NCAA Division I leagues. She is a strong candidate for the first overall pick in this year’s WNBA rookie draft.
Clark, who finished as the runner-up in last year’s NCAA women’s Division I basketball tournament, triumphantly avenged her loss in last year’s final against Louisiana State University with a 94-87 victory in this year’s quarterfinals. She shone in the match, scoring 41 points, including nine three-pointers.
In contrast, Angel Reese of Louisiana State University put up a fight with 17 points and 20 rebounds but failed to lead her team to a second consecutive tournament victory. The outcome starkly contrasted Reese’s outperformance over Clark in last year’s final, highlighting the unpredictability and drama of sports that captivate many.
Most Commented