Women’s sports are continuing to thrive on the national stage and are rapidly debunking each and every one of the sad narratives that still exist.
Sunday’s NCAA National Championship Game between the South Carolina Gamecocks and UConn Huskies is the latest example.
The matchup was broadcast on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET, which is a primetime slot that is usually reserved for the MLB’s Sunday Night Baseball. However, with the start of the 2022 professional baseball season pushed back due to the recent lockout, the women were able to take the stage.
And they delivered, as they always do.
The #NationalChampionship between @UConnWBB & @GamecockWBB was the most-watched #NCAAWBB champ game in nearly TWO DECADES
🏀 4.85M viewers
🏀 Up 18% from '21, up 30% from '19
🏀 Peaked with 5.91M viewersFull #MarchMadness viewership details to come pic.twitter.com/mGXoTeJb09
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) April 5, 2022
It is easy to imagine last season’s championship Game would have done similar numbers if given the opportunity, but it had to settle for the 6 p.m. ET tip as the Los Angeles Angels vs. Chicago White Sox game took the primetime slot at the conclusion of the women’s championship game.
This is just another reminder that the more coverage women’s sports get, the more people watch and the more these leagues succeed.
Just ask the WNBA.
Viewership this @WNBA season was up 49% year-over-year, and the most watched season since 2008.
The league also set records for merch sales online — as well as record engagement across its social media platforms.
(h/t @ESPNPR) pic.twitter.com/Ki9QsfjCnb
— Boardroom (@boardroom) October 21, 2021
