NCAAW Outdraw NCAAM

[psconn]

Women's NCAA title game outdraws the men's championship with an average of 18.9 million viewers

Women's NCAA title game outdraws the men's championship with an average of 18.9 million viewers

 

[maccca3232]

"in which the Gamecocks won their fourth national title and denied Clark’s Hawkeyes their first"

Are they counting the COVID year which was cancelled?

 

[ec33]

Now do the demo.

And games without Clark.

It is a shame that less than half that number is going to watch the UConn win title number 12. A full dozen more than Iowa.

 

[Next 12]

The Women's game has always been more entertaining as they play a better game of BB. Take away the men's " DUNK " and the game is boring. 7'2", 7'1", 6'10" and so on, makes Men's scoring a joke. My opinion.

 

[BRS24]

If UConn MBB wasn't playing on Monday, there's no way I'd watch/stay up for a 9:30 pm game.

 

[DRBackup]

If UConn MBB wasn't playing on Monday, there's no way I'd watch/stay up for a 9:30 pm game.

That's the real reason for the lower men's audience

 

[CTBballfan243]

The Women's game has always been more entertaining as they play a better game of BB. Take away the men's " DUNK " and the game is boring. 7'2", 7'1", 6'10" and so on, makes Men's scoring a joke. My opinion.

The UConn men run great offense, play tough defense and are extremely entertaining. They remind me of some of Geno's teams from the past the way they move and share the basketball. The only issue I have with the women's game is there isn't a lot of athleticism, but they are getting better. Also, the talent in the women's game is starting to get spread out more, which is a good thing.

 

[cwh20]

The Women's game has always been more entertaining as they play a better game of BB. Take away the men's " DUNK " and the game is boring. 7'2", 7'1", 6'10" and so on, makes Men's scoring a joke. My opinion.

I don’t agree that the women’s games are more entertaining. They’re both fine the way they are. Geno has advocated for lowering the Women’s hoop. Would you still watch if that happens? The games are certainly different because of dunks vs no dunks (except very rare occasions). Personally I like both games with the 10’ rims.

 

[HuskyNan]

The men’s game was on cable (TBS) at 9:20 at night

 

[cohenzone]

Edey wasn’t the draw that Clark was. She had so much publicity.

 

[hookshot]

Clark outdrawing Edey was a tall order

 

[☘️IrishEyes]

That's the real reason for the lower men's audience

I totally agree. 9:30pm on a Monday. SOME people have to get up early to go to work.

 

[Tufkas]

Apples and oranges. ABC has massively wider audience outreach than TNT. 3PM (EDT) / Noon (PDT) vs 9:30ishPM (EDT) tip-offs. Disparate, if compelling stores, a generational superstar vs. #1 undefeated. Two superstar big men and a would-be repeat champion.

Better I think to see the bigger picture: There's enormous audience engagement driving financial revenues for both offerings. Gender cannot be a consideration, financially or otherwise, against event significance for broadcasting sports - all sports (basketball, soccer, tennis, whatever) - to the public.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

The UConn men run great offense, play tough defense and are extremely entertaining. They remind me of some of Geno's teams from the past the way they move and share the basketball. The only issue I have with the women's game is there isn't a lot of athleticism, but they are getting better. Also, the talent in the women's game is starting to get spread out more, which is a good thing.

But talented CBB men rarely remain for more than a year, possibly two, before decamping for the pros. Women's CBB players remain on their teams, or at least in college somewhere else after a transfer, for four years. So we get great teams, rising dynasties, and tremendous rivalries. All that makes for riveting viewing.

So while the women outdrew the men, the new TV contract has women's basketball earning less than a tenth of what the men will receive. And that is obscene. Sounds as though the NCAA is creaming the Big Bucks out of the women's game. Still.

 

[CTBballfan243]

But talented CBB men rarely remain for more than a year, possibly two, before decamping for the pros. Women's CBB players remain on their teams, or at least in college somewhere else after a transfer, for four years. So we get great teams, rising dynasties, and tremendous rivalries. All that makes for riveting viewing.

So while the women outdrew the men, the new TV contract has women's basketball earning less than a tenth of what the men will receive. And that is obscene. Sounds as though the NCAA is creaming the Big Bucks out of the women's game. Still.

The Women were on ABC, the men were on cable so its not an apples to apples comparison. At the end of the day Economics 101, the law of supply and demand will win out as far as television contracts go. That's why capitalism is so great. If you provide something people want they will pay for it.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

The number would have been larger had the game been on CBS.

 

[MSGRET]

But talented CBB men rarely remain for more than a year, possibly two, before decamping for the pros. Women's CBB players remain on their teams, or at least in college somewhere else after a transfer, for four years. So we get great teams, rising dynasties, and tremendous rivalries. All that makes for riveting viewing.

So while the women outdrew the men, the new TV contract has women's basketball earning less than a tenth of what the men will receive. And that is obscene. Sounds as though the NCAA is creaming the Big Bucks out of the women's game. Still.

The NCAA did not put the Women's Tournament out for bid, they extended it with ESPN and gave up a chance for the big bucks as you put it.

 

[uconnfan68]

That's the real reason for the lower men's audience

Late weekday night on a cable channel vs. weekend day game on over-the-air tv.

 

[triaddukefan]

That's the real reason for the lower men's audience

18.7 million: Early figures from NCAA women’s title game make it most-watched hoops game in 5 years

South Carolina’s victory over Caitlin Clark and Iowa in Sunday’s women’s NCAA championship game had a preliminary audience average of 18.7 million on ABC and ESPN. The only sporting events in the United States to draw a bigger TV audience since 2019 have been football, the World Cup and the Olympics.

The audience numbers are expected to increase when Nielsen releases its final numbers on Tuesday. Nielsen says the audience peaked at 24 million.

So that's covers games on ABC, CBS, NBC, and events played earlier in the day for those saying the only reason was because of the time of day, or the network.

 

[Velocity80]

I was the typical male supremacist basketball fan growing up but this year I went to a Maryland Terrapins home game. It was my first ever wbb game and I’m over 40.

The game was electric and it was a blast.

The place was sold out with 18k loud fans.

I should also mention that Caitlin was in town, and she had 38 pts and 12 assts.

 

[Linart]

Or it could be that the UConn Men are bad for basketball.

 

[MSGRET]

18.7 million: Early figures from NCAA women’s title game make it most-watched hoops game in 5 years

South Carolina’s victory over Caitlin Clark and Iowa in Sunday’s women’s NCAA championship game had a preliminary audience average of 18.7 million on ABC and ESPN. The only sporting events in the United States to draw a bigger TV audience since 2019 have been football, the World Cup and the Olympics.

The audience numbers are expected to increase when Nielsen releases its final numbers on Tuesday. Nielsen says the audience peaked at 24 million.

So that's covers games on ABC, CBS, NBC, and events played earlier in the day for those saying the only reason was because of the time of day, or the network.

Now we know why that blocking foul was called.

 

[ec33]

Or it could be that the UConn Men are bad for basketball.

When you beat every opponent by double digits and it is getting late at night, people are quick to assume the game is over (many felt Newton's opening 3 to start the half and make it a 9-point lead was pretty much game-set-match). I suspect the second half numbers dwindled shortly after that once UConn extended the lead.

 

[CL82]

The Women's game has always been more entertaining as they play a better game of BB.

 

[UCTitleTown]

Men's game being on TNT and 9:20 start on a workday had something to do with the Men's numbers, but still great for the Women. The Men's number was still 4% higher than last year (Purdue has more fans than San Diego State).

 

[WLT1717]

Very curious to see tv ratings, and IA road game/Big10 attendance in the post-CC era.

 

[JellyBean]

That is awesome!! Considering the women's final was 1). Not a prime time game. 2). It was on a Sunday at 3pm EST. That is very impressive. Congrats, Ladies!!

 

[Zonepress]

What would be very interesting to know is what’s the demographic breakdown of those folks to watch the women’s final?
Are more women watching the game
Is it young people?
Is the mail if you were normally doesn’t watch women’s sports watching the game
I don’t know if this type of research can’t be done but to me, that would be very interesting
I’ve always thought that for a women’s basketball to grow female fans and young folks would need to be their base of fans

 

[Bjbod]

All I can comment on is the environment at Iowa. The vibe/demographic at WBB games is definitely different than MBB and football.
If there was data on the Womens vs Mens Championship games I bet you'd see that as well. If the men played Sunday afternoon and the women Monday nite, I'd bet alot of money the women would still out draw the men. Look how much people were willing to pay to go to those road Iowa games, and how long they'd wait in line to get in the arenas. Nothing remotely similar on the men's side.

As to WLZ1717's post, I predict attendance at Iowa's road games next year to be down 60% and TV numbers for the big March Madness games to be down 35% or more.

 

[Rowdy831]

The men’s game was on cable (TBS) at 9:20 at night

That was part of it for sure. You also had two smaller market teams playing but the quality of the game was fantastic. To me CC was the draw based on what the numbers were for non Iowa games but people watched. It will be up to someone else to continue the enthusiasm for next season for WCBB.