(Image via ncaa.org)
Sports Editor: Tom Dunford
Email: tdunford@umassd.edu
Finally, the moment we’ve all been waiting for.
After years of being overlooked and undervalued, the spotlight shifts to women’s basketball and women’s sports. The conclusion of the NCAA Women’s D1 basketball tournament marks the dawn of a new era – an era of media dominance, increased television viewership, and respect from all sports clubs and fans. The 2024 tournament may be over, but a new era for women’s sports is just beginning.
You Know The Names
She has been put on a pedestal across the world of sports, and it is for good reason. She, along with the rest of the clubs, have begun to push a new narrative: they aren’t women athletes; they’re just athletes.
The stats say it all. Caitlin Clark was one of the most prevalent athletes this past season, averaging 31.6 points per game, a 45.5% field goal percentage, and an astonishing 13.3 win shares in 39 games for the Iowa Hawkeyes. If the stats don’t say it, the eye test can certainly tell that she is one of the best.
But she isn’t the only one who has put her name in record books.
LSU Tigers forward Angel Reese has also been hailed as one of the league’s most dominant players. In 33 games with the club, Reese averaged 18.6 points per game, 47.1% FGP, and an impressive 8.7 win shares. Her legacy will be remembered for helping the Tigers win their second championship in the SEC and helping young athletes, specifically minorities, have a role model to look up to.
Clark and Reese were dominant on all cylinders, and it certainly showed with the viewership rates in both their game and the ones that followed.
Viewership Skyrockets
Iowa versus LSU was one of the most anticipated parts of the tournament, as all eyes awaited to see Caitlin Clark eye her revenge on Angel Reese and the rest of the LSU Tigers. As soon as tip-off arrived, it was clear this game was unlike any other, and the viewership proved that.
Iowa and LSU’s game in the elite eight averaged 12.3 million viewers, which is more than every NHL, MLS, and MLB game last season. This game lived up to the hype, and for what seemed like a long time coming, these athletes were finally headlined by all news and media outlets.
And the viewership didn’t stop there. Undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks took down Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes 87-75 and accumulated a whopping 18.7 million viewers on average, making it the highest telecasted basketball game since 2019. This number is also nearly twice as many viewers as the last final. With that, viewership, marketing, and sponsorships are going to be headlined next season, and new fans are being welcomed with open arms.
Clark and Reese headlined the tournament, highlighting their charisma and leadership throughout the season. Although the season has come to a fulfilling end, one thing is clear: this tournament has shifted the tides not just for women’s basketball but all women’s sports alike, and that will only continue into next season and beyond.
The Future is Bright
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese both committed to play in the WNBA and will both be selected in the top five of the draft. The WNBA has gotten the short end of the stick in the past, but these two will certainly turn their eyes to their game and the rest of the league as well.
Clearly, this tournament represents just the beginning of what’s to come for the rest of the sports world and mainly for all professional women’s leagues. Social media and news outlets took watch as advocacy reigned further than just basketball.
In the NFL, Superbowl winning Kansas City Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings went out to social media to market Iowa versus South Carolina. Likewise, notable athletes and celebrities such as LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Lil Wayne, and former president of the United States, Barack Obama had positive remarks about the tournament and the future of women’s sports.
Along with the tournament highlighting talented women athletes, the first season of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) has gone above expectations in viewership and advertising, and the respect for women athletes is finally erupting.
It’s clear that this tournament has done wonders for women athletes, but this is just the beginning. These athletes are due their respect and prosperity, and the future of women’s sports is brighter than it’s ever been.