A historical chart of Women’s Final Four ratings since ESPN began airing the event in 1996.
As of 2024, the highest rated and most-watched game of the Women’s Final Four was Iowa-UConn in the 2024 national semifinal at 14.2 million viewers. That record will likely be broken by Iowa-South Carolina in the women’s national championship. Prior to 2024, the Nielsen people-meter era record (1988-present) was 9.92 million for the 2023 LSU-Iowa national championship and the overall record was 11.84 million for the 1983 USC-Louisiana Tech final.
On the other end of the spectrum, UConn’s 2009 win over Louisville ranks as the lowest rated and least-watched national title game (1.8, 2.7M) and NC State’s 1998 loss to Louisiana Tech in the national semifinals ranks as the least-watched Women’s Final Four game overall (999K).
In contrast to the men’s tournament, there have been multiple occasions in which the national championship was not the top game of the Women’s Final Four. In 2010, for example, UConn’s semifinal win over Baylor (2.4, 3.8M) edged its title game win over Stanford (2.3, 3.6M).
Women’s Final Four Ratings History
Parentheses indicate that audience includes additional streaming data not measured by Nielsen.
2024
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
South Carolina – Iowa |
9.3 |
18.882M |
ABC, ESPN |
| Late semi. |
Iowa – UConn |
7.1 |
14.426M |
ESPN, ESPN2 |
| Early semi. |
South Carolina – NC State |
3.7 |
7.173M |
ESPN, ESPN2 |
2023
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
LSU – Iowa |
5.2 |
9.915M |
ABC, ESPN2, ESPNU |
| Late semi. |
Iowa – South Carolina |
3.0 |
5.632M |
ESPN, ESPNU |
| Early semi. |
LSU – Virginia Tech |
1.8 |
3.444M |
ESPN, ESPNU |
2022
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
South Carolina – UConn |
2.7 |
4.850M |
ESPN, ESPNU |
| Late semi. |
UConn – Stanford |
1.8 |
3.230M |
ESPN, ESPNU |
| Early semi. |
South Carolina – Louisville |
1.2 |
2.160M |
ESPN, ESPNU |
2021
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Stanford – Arizona |
2.0 |
4.128M |
ESPN |
| Late semi. |
Arizona – UConn |
1.5 |
2.715M |
ESPN |
| Early semi. |
Stanford – South Carolina |
1.0 |
1.695M |
ESPN |
2019
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Baylor – Notre Dame |
2.1 |
3.689M |
ESPN |
| Late semi. |
Notre Dame – UConn |
1.4 |
2.139M |
ESPN2 |
| Early semi. |
Baylor – Oregon |
0.9 |
1.485M |
ESPN2 |
2018
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Notre Dame – Mississippi State |
2.0 |
(3.536M) |
ESPN |
| Late semi. |
Notre Dame – UConn |
1.4 |
(2.280M) |
ESPN2 |
| Early semi. |
Mississippi State – Louisville |
0.9 |
(1.510M) |
ESPN2 |
2017
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
South Carolina – Mississippi State |
2.3 |
3.827M
(3.886M) |
ESPN |
| Late semi. |
Mississippi State – UConn |
1.7 |
2.763M
(2.783M) |
ESPN2 |
| Early semi. |
South Carolina – Stanford |
1.0 |
1.497M |
ESPN2 |
2016
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
UConn – Syracuse |
1.9 |
2.972M |
ESPN |
| Early semi. |
UConn – Oregon State |
1.5 |
2.308M |
ESPN |
| Late semi. |
Syracuse – Washington |
1.0 |
1.598M |
ESPN2 |
2015
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
UConn – Notre Dame |
2.0 |
3.081M |
ESPN |
| Late semi. |
UConn – Maryland |
1.5 |
2.395M |
ESPN |
| Early semi. |
Notre Dame – South Carolina |
1.2 |
2.024M |
ESPN |
2014
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
UConn – Notre Dame |
2.8 |
4.271M |
ESPN |
| Late semi. |
UConn – Stanford |
1.5 |
2.312M |
ESPN |
| Early semi. |
Notre Dame – Maryland |
1.2 |
1.806M |
ESPN |
2013
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
UConn – Louisville |
2.0 |
3.206M |
ESPN |
| Late semi. |
UConn – Notre Dame |
1.8 |
3.034M |
ESPN |
| Early semi. |
Louisville – Cal |
1.4 |
2.280M |
ESPN |
2012
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Baylor – Notre Dame |
2.7 |
4.244M |
ESPN |
| Late semi. |
Baylor – Stanford |
2.2 |
3.756M |
ESPN |
| Early semi. |
Notre Dame – UConn |
1.8 |
2.943M |
ESPN |
2011
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Texas A&M – Notre Dame |
2.4 |
3.831M |
ESPN |
| Late semi. |
Notre Dame – UConn |
2.1 |
3.273M |
ESPN |
| Early semi. |
Texas A&M – Stanford |
1.6 |
2.532M |
ESPN |
2010
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Late semi. |
UConn – Baylor |
2.4 |
3.774M |
ESPN |
| Champ. |
UConn – Stanford |
2.3 |
3.531M |
ESPN |
| Early semi. |
Stanford – Oklahoma |
1.4 |
2.236M |
ESPN |
2009
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
UConn – Louisville |
1.8 |
2.668M |
ESPN |
| Late semi. |
UConn – Stanford |
1.7 |
2.664M |
ESPN |
| Early semi. |
Louisville – Oklahoma |
1.6 |
2.424M |
ESPN |
2008
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Tennessee – Stanford |
2.5 |
3.858M |
ESPN |
| Late semi. |
Tennessee – LSU |
2.4 |
3.603M |
ESPN |
| Early semi. |
Stanford – UConn |
1.8 |
2.809M |
ESPN |
2007
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Late semi. |
Tennessee – UNC |
2.0 |
2.931M |
ESPN |
| Champ. |
Tennessee – Rutgers |
1.9 |
2.918M |
ESPN |
| Early semi. |
Rutgers – LSU |
1.3 |
1.806M |
ESPN |
2006
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Maryland – Duke |
2.5 |
3.587M |
ESPN |
| Late semi. |
Maryland – UNC |
1.6 |
2.614M |
ESPN |
| Early semi. |
Duke – LSU |
1.7 |
2.612M |
ESPN |
2005
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Late semi. |
MSU – Tennessee |
2.2 |
3.391M |
ESPN |
| Champ. |
Baylor – MSU |
2.2 |
3.235M |
ESPN |
| Early semi. |
Baylor – LSU |
1.8 |
2.790M |
ESPN |
2004
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
UConn – Tennessee |
3.5 |
5.583M |
ESPN |
| Late semi. |
UConn – Minnesota |
2.8 |
4.621M |
ESPN |
| Early semi. |
Tennessee – LSU |
1.9 |
2.953M |
ESPN |
2003
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
UConn – Tennessee |
2.8 |
4.369M |
ESPN |
| Late semi. |
UConn – Texas |
2.6 |
3.918M |
ESPN |
| Early semi. |
Tennessee – Duke |
1.8 |
2.880M |
ESPN |
2002
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
UConn – Oklahoma |
3.3 |
5.681M |
ESPN |
| Late semi. |
UConn – Tennessee |
2.0 |
3.192M |
ESPN |
| Early semi. |
Oklahoma – Duke |
1.4 |
2.074M |
ESPN |
2001
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Notre Dame – Purdue |
2.7 |
3.730M |
ESPN |
| Late semi. |
Notre Dame – UConn |
1.9 |
2.947M |
ESPN |
| Early semi. |
Purdue – SW Missouri State |
1.8 |
2.617M |
ESPN |
2000
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
UConn – Tennessee |
2.7 |
3.676M |
ESPN |
| Late semi. |
UConn – Penn State |
1.4 |
1.932M |
ESPN |
| Early semi. |
Tennessee – Rutgers |
1.4 |
1.929M |
ESPN |
1999
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Purdue – Duke |
3.3 |
5.137M |
ESPN |
| Late semi. |
Purdue – Louisiana Tech |
1.5 |
2.082M |
ESPN |
| Early semi. |
Duke – Georgia |
1.2 |
1.623M |
ESPN |
1998
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Tennessee – Louisiana Tech |
2.8 |
3.943M |
ESPN |
| Late semi. |
Tennessee – Arkansas |
1.1 |
1.553M |
ESPN |
| Early semi. |
Louisiana Tech – NC State |
0.8 |
999K |
ESPN |
1997
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Tennessee – Old Dominion |
3.0 |
4.586M |
ESPN |
| Early semi. |
Old Dominion – Stanford |
1.4 |
2.106M |
ESPN |
| Late semi. |
Tennessee – Notre Dame |
1.3 |
1.864M |
ESPN |
1996
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Tennessee – Georgia |
2.6 |
3.515M |
ESPN |
| Early semi. |
Tennessee – UConn |
1.8 |
2.354M |
ESPN |
| Late semi. |
Georgia – Stanford |
1.5 |
1.776M |
ESPN |
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