NCAA Women’s Basketball Viewership Hits Record High in 2025

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The NCAA women’s basketball regular season closed with a record-breaking average of 280,000 viewers across ESPN networks for the 2024-2025 season, marking the highest viewership since the 2008-2009 season. This figure, released on March 10, 2025, represents a 3% increase compared to the previous year.

ESPN, which encompasses ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU, observed significant audience engagement, particularly during high-stakes games in February. ABC aired key doubleheaders, including a February 16 matchup between UConn and South Carolina, which drew approximately 1.8 million viewers. Another major game featured LSU facing Texas, attracting 1.7 million viewers.

“This year’s performance showcases the growing interest and excitement surrounding women’s basketball,” said ESPN executive vice president of programming, Jamie Horowitz. “We anticipate that this trend will continue as we head into March Madness.”

In total, 87 regular season games aired on ESPN, with games featuring teams like UConn averaging 511,000 viewers over 28 broadcasts, reflecting a 13% increase from the prior season. ABC’s coverage, featuring only three games this year, generated an impressive average of 1.3 million viewers, indicating a 120% jump from six games last season.

February proved pivotal for viewership, particularly with the four most-watched games of the season occurring within that month. A regular season matchup between South Carolina and Texas, aired on February 9, drew 1 million viewers, while a February 23 game between Notre Dame and NC State attracted 887,000 viewers.

The surge in viewership can partly be linked to the heightened media coverage and the general increase in competitive excitement among NCAA women’s teams. The NCAA owns the rights to the Women’s March Madness tournament, which is set to kick off shortly after the regular season, promising to maintain this momentum.

Following the trend of increased audience numbers, the NCAA women’s basketball tournaments are expected to attract even larger audiences, with initial projections already pointing to potential growth in viewership for March Madness. With the stakes heightened during tournament play, there is optimism that this year could mark a new era of interest in women’s college basketball.

As the season progresses, collective efforts from media, fans, and teams alike contribute to elevating the profile of women’s basketball on a national scale, fostering an environment of support that bodes well for future seasons.