This is absolutely insane.
Monday night’s Elite Eight contest between Iowa and LSU brought in absolutely historic ratings. In fact, it was the most-watched women’s college basketball game in the history of the sport.
The numbers are staggering, with the matchup bringing in a whopping 12.3 million viewers — this passed the 9.9 million mark that last season’s national championship hit. That game also featured Iowa taking on LSU.
But it’s not just women’s basketball records that this game broke in terms of television ratings: it also happens to be the most-watched college basketball game ever on ESPN in both men’s and women’s. (RELATED: ‘I’m Done’: Rajon Rondo Officially Announces His Retirement After Not Playing For Two Seasons)
Oh, but it gets crazier than that.
Viewership peaked at an insane 16 million people, with the overall ratings beating every single men’s March Madness tournament except for one, every single NBA Finals game except for one and literally every single World Series contest.
Is this even real life? … Yeah, it is. This is women’s basketball in 2024.
BREAKING: The Iowa-LSU game averaged 12.3 million viewers on ESPN, making it the most-watched women’s college basketball game ever.
What a MASSIVE, MASSIVE number. pic.twitter.com/cyMMSoXtVW
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) April 2, 2024
If you’re still hating on women’s basketball at this point, then you’re just a blatant hater … I mean, damn, how can you not be entertained by all the hype and drama?
How can you not be intrigued at the fact that people like Ice Cube and David Portnoy are in a bidding war for Caitlin Clark?
Hell, from where I’m sitting, women’s hoops is becoming big business.