LSU-Iowa rematch expected to push record viewership numbers
In 2023, the national championship game between LSU and Iowa became the most-watched women's college basketball game ever. The rematch in the Elite Eight on Monday might break that record.
According to Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports, last year's title game averaged 9.9M viewers, and viewership peaked at 12.6M. He expects the rematch to come close to or surpass this figure.
David Rumsey of FOS reported second-round matchups in the NCAA Women's Tournament averaged 1.4M viewers, up 121 percent from last season. Interest in star Iowa guard Caitlin Clark contributed to this surge.
In the Hawkeyes' 64-54 victory over West Virginia in the second round, 4.9M viewers tuned in, making the game the most-watched women's March Madness telecast outside of the Final Four.
As long as Clark and the Hawkeyes are in the tournament, they'll continue to attract massive audiences. Per Rumsey, Sports Media Watch founder Jon Lewis predicted the LSU-Iowa rematch would draw up to 9M viewers.
Last season, the Tigers beat the Hawkeyes 102-85. LSU forward Angel Reese pointed at her ring finger and made a John Cena hand gesture at Clark as the game drew to a close, adding to the intrigue of this year's matchup.
"There's definitely that competitive fire," Clark said of the rematch, per ESPN's Andrea Adelson. "Both of us want to win more than anything, and that's how it should be when you're a competitor and you get into a situation like this, whether it was the national championship, whether it's the Elite Eight.
Clark — Division I's all-time leading scorer (3,859 points) — is still seeking her first national championship. Meanwhile, the Tigers aim to become the first team to repeat as champions since the 2015-16 UConn Huskies.
More must-reads: