Current:Home > InvestCaitlin Clark, Iowa set conference tournament viewership record after beating Nebraska -GrowthInsight
Caitlin Clark, Iowa set conference tournament viewership record after beating Nebraska
View
Date:2025-04-17 07:24:21
Fans can't get enough of Caitlin Clark.
Iowa's Big Ten championship win over Nebraska on Sunday was the most-watched conference tournament game on any network in women's college basketball history, CBS Sports reported on Tuesday.
The network said that the game, where the Hawkeyes won 94-89 for their third straight Big Ten title behind 34 points and 12 assists from Clark, had an average of 3.021 million viewers. The audience peaked when the game went into overtime and 4.450 million people tuned in.
The matchup was the most-watched game of the day, which also featured the SEC championship where South Carolina outlasted LSU after a scuffle in the fourth quarter to win their eighth conference title in 10 years.
The Athletic's Richard Deitsch compared the numbers between the women's Big Ten championship and the storied rivalry between Duke and North Carolina's men's basketball teams. The Blue Devils and Tar Heels faced off on Saturday in the regular season finale. North Carolina won at Cameron Indoor, clinching the regular season ACC crown. Deitsch said that game, which was aired on ESPN, had an average of 3.076 million viewers.
WOMEN'S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY's women's tournament bracket contest for a chance at $1 million prize.
The Big Ten Network also reported that Iowa amassed more than 1 million viewers for both its semifinal and quarterfinal games in the conference tournament. It's the first time the network has seen two women's games pass the 1 million mark. The 1.075 million fans that tuned in for the semifinal against Michigan made the game the most-watched women's sports event and second overall in the network's history.
Clark − with other stars such as LSU's Angel Reese, former South Carolina star Aliyah Boston and Stanford's Cameron Brink − have helped elevate the profile of women's basketball. Last year's Final Four saw record viewership on ESPN with an average of 5.5 million and peak of 6.6 million people watching Iowa versus South Carolina. When Clark broke Pete Maravich's all-time scoring record earlier this month in a game against Ohio State, an average of 3.4 million fans tuned in, making it the most-watched women's college basketball game in FOX's history.
The Hawkeyes clinched a berth in the NCAA tournament with the championship win. They will learn their seeding for the competition on Selection Sunday.
veryGood! (8649)
Related
- 'Vanderpump Rules' star DJ James Kennedy arrested on domestic violence charges
- AP Election Brief | What to expect in Louisiana’s general election
- Caitlyn Jenner Recalls Convincing Robert Kardashian to Divorce Kris Jenner Over Private Dinner
- Russian convicted over journalist Anna Politkovskaya's murder pardoned after serving in Ukraine
- Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning
- Greece fines local branches of J&J and Colgate-Palmolive for allegedly breaching a profit cap
- The Best Gifts For Star Wars Fans, Jedis, Siths, Nerf-Herders & More
- Can US, China Climate Talks Spur Progress at COP28?
- The Super Bowl could end in a 'three
- How The Crown's Khalid Abdalla and Elizabeth Debicki Honored Dodi and Diana's Complex Bond
Ranking
- Kylie Jenner Shows Off Sweet Notes From Nieces Dream Kardashian & Chicago West
- Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig seeks accountability for attacker ahead of his sentencing
- Zimbabwe’s opposition says the country is going in ‘a dangerous direction’ after activist’s killing
- Enough is enough. NBA should suspend Draymond Green for rest of November after chokehold
- Where will Elmo go? HBO moves away from 'Sesame Street'
- U.S. Navy warship shoots down drone fired from Yemen
- All The Only Ones: No More (Gender) Drama
- 'Trolls Band Together' release date, cast, trailer: Check out NSYNC's soundtrack appearance
Recommendation
What to watch: O Jolie night
Michigan assistant coach had to apologize to mom, grandma for expletive-filled speech
Progress in childhood cancer has stalled for Blacks and Hispanics, report says
First time cooking a turkey? This recipe promises a juicy roast with less work
Federal Spending Freeze Could Have Widespread Impact on Environment, Emergency Management
Mega Millions Tuesday drawing: Jackpot at $267 million, check winning numbers
Dad announces death of his 6-year-old son who was attacked by neighbor with baseball bat
Watch Jeremy Renner celebrate 10 months of recovery with workout video after snowplow accident