Women’s college basketball has been turning heads and gaining traction more than ever as the level of competition across all conferences continues to rise. The movement is spearheaded by generational talent like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, who have helped draw record-breaking attention to the sport. Women’s basketball and women’s athletics in general, have waited a long time to receive respect and mainstream recognition; now it’s finally getting the praise it deserves.
Media Coverage & Attendance Records
Media coverage is a big area of growth for women’s basketball. Most importantly, women’s games are being broadcasted on mainstream channels. Even better, people are tuning in. According to ESPN, the NCAA Women’s College Basketball Championship game averaged 9.92 million viewers (peaking at 12.6 million), making it the most watched women’s college basketball game yet. This viewership was double the views of the 2022 championship game of the year before, illustrating the rapid pace of growth. There are many factors that play into this growth, including rising levels of talent and coverage.
Katie Collier-Johnson, a University of Washington Women’s Basketball alumna, describes her perspective as a retired player; “Women’s basketball has skyrocketed since I was in college; I think the two big factors of women’s sports gaining more fans and publicity is social media and the NBA backing and being very positively outspoken about the WNBA.”
Game attendance is another topic that has gotten people talking, specifically this season. Iowa Women’s Basketball opened up their 2023-2024 season with an exhibition game held at Kinnick Stadium. The game drew 55,646 fans; the most for any NCAA Women’s Basketball game in history.
Growing media coverage and record attendance provides more opportunities for women to grow their own brands under the new Name, Image, and Likeness rule, which is also contributing to the dramatic rise.
The Influence of NIL
Name, Image, and Likeness, more commonly known as NIL, is a policy that allows student athletes to profit off their personal brand. NIL was passed by the NCAA in June of 2021, and has since altered the trajectory of college athletics.
Collier-Johnson explains, “I think NIL has changed the game in the sense that some of these athletes are making more money through NIL than they would if they chose to enter the draft. In some cases NIL is benefiting these universities in having athletes want to stay longer in college.”
This is part of the reason women’s college basketball has become so popular, often receiving even more coverage than the WNBA. Universities receive amazing talent, and with the influence of NIL, these talented players stay for their full eligibility. In turn, college games have become more entertaining with star players making names for themselves both on and off the court.
The Superstars
The sheer starpower of the league is undeniable. Not only are players like Caitlin Clark changing the game in terms of style of play, but they are bringing so much attention and money to the sport. People hear of standout individuals and then tune in to watch. Consequently, they realize just how entertaining the game is.
Abi Barquist, an avid women’s basketball fan and player explains, “I think women’s college basketball has risen in popularity because players like Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Azzi Fudd are gaining popularity on social media.”
Heading into February, with March Madness just around the corner, consider supporting women’s hoops by tuning into the tail end of conference play. The NCAA tournament first round begins on March 22 and 23, so make sure to fill out a bracket before then!
