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The Iowa versus UConn NCAA Final Four game reportedly shattered women’s college basketball viewing records.
NBC News reports, that the game attracted 14.2 million viewers, making it the most-watched game in history.
According to ESPN, the game peaked at 17 million watchers. The highly anticipated match-up with teams led by Iowa superstar, Caitlin Clark, and stand-out Huskie, Hannah Stuelke, broke several records.
The game produced more viewers than any college or professional basketball game in ESPN history! The previous record-holding game was in 2018. Cleveland played Boston in Game 7 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals.
Additionally, the Iowa vs. UConn game’s numbers were the second-best non-football game aired on the sports network.
Caitlin is the all-time leading scorer in NCAA history. Iowa’s next opponent is the South Carolina Gamecocks, which has not lost a game. Fans are anxious to see the women in play, which may consequently break the current record.
Women’s NCAA basketball experienced a spike in popularity last year when Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese began putting up numbers and duking it out for the title.
Reese used John Cena’s ‘You Can’t See Me’ gesture against Clark after she executed the movement in a game. As previously reported, the two were going head to head in the NCAA women’s championship when she taunted Caitlin back. Reese and LSU were victorious in the end.
However, Iowa knocked the Tigers out of the tournament this year in the Elite Eight on Monday (April 1). Their match-up brought in 12.3 million viewers, nearly beating the NBA viewing record before the Iowa vs. UConn game.
Caitlin’s basketball skills are raking in the dough. Ice Cube extended a major BIG3 contract to the guard. He offered the Hawkey $5 million dollars to play 10 games.
After the news leaked, Ice Cube confirmed, “BIG3 made a historic offer to Caitlin Clark. Why wouldn’t we? Caitlin is a generational athlete who can achieve tremendous success in the BIG3.”
Caitlin said she learned of the deal “the same exact time” the world did because she has “other people that deal with it,” Mens Journal reports.
Number 22 stated her mind is on the game and securing a national championship.
The Hawkeyes and Gamecocks will battle it out on Sunday (April 7) at 3 p.m. ET.
