Iowa’s Historic Victory Over UConn Draws Record-Breaking Viewership

Iowa’s thrilling 71-69 victory over UConn in the women’s Final Four on Friday night not only captivated fans across the country but also shattered viewership records. The game, which aired on ESPN, averaged a staggering 14.2 million viewers, making it the most-viewed women’s basketball game on record and the largest audience for an ESPN basketball broadcast.

The previous record was set just days before with the Iowa-LSU Elite Eight matchup, which drew 12.3 million viewers. To put it into perspective, the most-watched basketball game on ESPN prior to this was Game 7 of the 2018 Eastern Conference finals between Cleveland and Boston, with 13.51 million viewers.

In fact, Iowa’s victory over UConn is now one of the most-viewed games in any sport other than college football and the NFL over the past couple of years. The game peaked at 17 million viewers and is expected to rank among the top 50 primetime telecasts of 2024.

Not only did the game draw massive numbers, but it also marked ESPN’s second-highest audience for a non-football broadcast, trailing only the United States-Portugal match during the 2014 men’s World Cup. With the national championship game against South Carolina looming, Iowa’s impressive run in the tournament has captured the attention of sports fans everywhere.

Meanwhile, South Carolina’s dominant 78-59 victory over North Carolina State in the other semifinal game also drew a significant audience, averaging 7.1 million viewers. The combined viewership for Friday’s two games saw a 138% increase over last year, highlighting the growing popularity of women’s college basketball.

As the excitement builds for the national championship showdown between Iowa and South Carolina on Sunday afternoon, fans can expect another thrilling matchup that is sure to draw a massive audience.