Superstars Fuel Surge in Women's Hoops Ads
Tobey Nesbit 4.16.24
The 2024 NCAA Women's Basketball National Championship game between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Iowa Hawkeyes was a historic event, drawing an estimated 18.9 million viewers on ABC and ESPN. This viewership peak surpassed the 14.8 million who watched the Men's College Basketball National Championship, marking the first time the women's game had a larger audience.
The women's championship game audience was the largest in women's college basketball history. And it was the most-watched basketball game (at any level) since 2019. It is also the third women's basketball viewership record set in the past week, outpacing the 12.3 million viewers that watched the Iowa-LSU Elite Eight matchup on April 1, followed by the Iowa-UConn Final Four game on April 5, which drew 14.2 million viewers.
Viewership to the 2024 women's championship game was up over 90% compared with the 9.9 million viewers that watched in 2023. And over 288% compared with the 2022 audience. This surge in viewership was driven [in large part] by the rise of superstar players like Caitlin Clark of the Iowa Hawkeyes, who has captivated audiences with her record-breaking performances.
Viewership and attendance for women's basketball improved in recent years, both at the collegiate level with NCAA women's basketball and the professional level with the WNBA. However, the WNBA has historically struggled to gain mainstream popularity.
In 2023, the WNBA regular season was the most-watched in 21 years, with a 21% increase in viewership across national TV partners compared to 2022. The WNBA Playoffs and Finals also saw a 36% increase in viewership year-over-year. The defending champion Las Vegas Aces even saw a 66% increase in average attendance, drawing a league-high 9,551 fans per game.
This surge in interest has not gone unnoticed by advertisers. Brands like Adidas, Ally Financial, and Coca-Cola have all increased their investment in women's basketball, with some spending more on the women's NCAA tournament than the men's. Ally Financial, for example, bought four times the guaranteed impressions for the women's tournament compared to the men's, and its overall investment in the women's tournaments was two times bigger.
The Washington Mystics, a WNBA franchise, have also stood out as the team receiving the highest investment from sponsors, with 47 brands contributing nearly $72.3 million. This team reflects the growing commercial value of the WNBA and its ability to reach a diverse, engaged audience.
As the 2024 WNBA season approaches, the league is poised to build on this momentum. With the arrival of highly anticipated draft picks like Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink, Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese, and Rickea Jackson and the continued growth in viewership and attendance, advertisers [are recognizing] the significant opportunities to connect with this passionate and rapidly expanding fan base.
"None of you went to the f*ckin' games. None of you. You all, you failed them, not me. Not men. Women failed the WNBA."
Bill Burr Live at Red Rocks
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