The Women’s College World Series ended with a viewership bump.
Thursday’s clinching Game 2 of the Women’s College World Series Final (Oklahoma-Florida State) averaged a 1.1 rating and 1.86 million viewers on ESPN, up 15% in ratings and 7% in viewership from last year (Oklahoma-Texas: 0.9, 1.74M).
Oklahoma’s win, which peaked with 2.3 million viewers, trails only Game 2 between the same teams two years ago as the most-watched WCWS game since 2015. (Keep in mind out-of-home viewing was not included in Nielsen final nationals before 2020.)
Game 1 of the series the previous night — which did not begin until 10 PM ET due to weather delays — averaged 1.34 million, down 5% from last year (1.41M). Ratings were not immediately available. The full two-game series averaged 1.6 million, even with a year ago, but down from the three-game Oklahoma-FSU series two years ago.
The complete Women’s College World Series averaged 1.1 million viewers, per Sports Business Journal, up 6% from last year but down from the record-high set two years ago. That is despite two fewer games this season, as neither semifinal required two games.
Of the 14 total games, ten posted an increase in viewership over last year. Two of the four declines were for weather-delayed games.
2023 Women’s College World Series viewership
(Compared to last year)
Both the complete WCWS and the WCWS Final averaged the same number of viewers as last year’s equivalent men’s events.
(Nielsen estimates from Programming Insider 6.9, ShowBuzz Daily 6.8, Sports Business Journal 6.9, network PR)
