Iowa and star Caitlin Clark delivered the largest early round audience on record for the women’s NCAA Tournament.
Sunday’s Iowa-Georgia NCAA women’s basketball tournament second round game averaged a 0.8 rating and 1.46 million viewers on ABC, marking the largest first or second round tournament audience on record. Ratings increased 56% and viewership 71% from South Carolina-Miami in the same window last year (0.54, 842K).
Earlier in the day, South Carolina-USF drew a 0.7 and 1.14 million — up 3% and 15% respectively from Creighton’s upset of Iowa last year (0.64, 993K).
In other second round action, ESPN averaged 943,000 viewers for UConn-Baylor and 783,000 for Louisville-Texas Monday night — down 17 and 5 percent respectively from the equivalent windows last year (UConn-USF: 1.14M; Tennessee-Belmont: 825K). Both games overlapped with Miami’s upset of Indiana on ESPN2, which surged 79% from last year to 878,000 viewers.
Earlier Monday, Ohio State’s narrow win over North Carolina averaged 704,000 (+30%).
Returning to Sunday, ESPN’s four games each increased by double-digits, with the final three each up by well over 60 percent. Mississippi’s upset of Stanford averaged a 0.38 and 665,000, up 65% in ratings and 81% in viewership from Stanford-Kansas a year ago (0.23, 368K). It was preceded by LSU-Michigan at a 0.35 and 676,000, up 75% and 104% respectively (vs. Louisville-Gonzaga: 0.20, 332K).
In the afternoon windows, Arizona-Maryland drew a 0.29 (+81%) and 497,000 (+96%) and Mississippi State-Notre Dame a 0.3 (+35%) and 403,000 (+46%).
Overall, the first and second rounds of the tournament have averaged 398,000 viewers per game, up 28% from last year.
First round coverage Friday and Saturday averaged 257,000 (+27%), with ABC’s two games leading the way despite year-over-year declines. Tennessee-Saint Louis averaged a 0.42 (-11%) and 639,000 (-17%) and UConn-Vermont a 0.40 (-5%) and 636,000 (-8%). The top first round game on cable was Iowa-Southeast Louisiana on Friday afternoon at a 0.31 and 560,000 on ESPN, up sharply from Iowa-Illinois State a year ago (0.19, 292K).
(Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 3.21)
