Iowa's win over UConn at the Women’s Final Four in Cleveland on Friday set a new record for the "most-watched women’s college basketball game in history," as the game was viewed by 14.2 million people and peaked at 17 million viewers. This game tops the previous all-time viewership record, which was set on Monday when Iowa’s win over LSU averaged 12.3 million viewers and peaked at 16 million viewers ( THE ATHLETIC, 4/6 ). The total attendance at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse for the Women's Final Four was a record 18,284 fans ( X, 4/6 ).
Iowa-UConn on ESPN “produced the largest audience for a basketball game -- college or professional” -- and “was the second-best non-football telecast ever for the network.” Friday’s figure is “higher than every World Series and NBA Finals game last year.” Meanwhile, South Carolina’s 78-59 win over NC State in the previous Final Four game peaked at 9 million viewers. ESPN said that the 2024 Final Four’s 10.8 million average viewership is “up 138% year over year” ( NBCNEWS.com, 4/6 ). Last year’s NCAA men’s title game between San Diego State and UConn averaged 14.79 million ( AP, 4/6 ). SBJ's Austin Karp said that he "wouldn't be surprised" if the national championship game between Iowa and South Carolina "hits closer to 20 million" viewers ( X, 4/6 ). Sports media columnist Richard Deitsch offered a viewership prediction for the game of 16.9 million viewers ( THE ATHLETIC, 4/5 ).
The amount of tickets and money wagered on Iowa’s win over UConn “broke the record betting handle” for a women’s basketball game, which was previously set Monday in Iowa’s victory over LSU. Nationally, the game “was the No. 1 betting event on FanDuel Sportsbook, ahead of all NBA, MLB and NHL games.” South Carolina’s win over NC State “was the fifth-highest betting event of the day at FanDuel.” SuperBook VP/Risk Jeff Sherman expects the title game to once again “break the record handle for a women’s game” ( LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 4/6 ).
