Is women's college basketball more popular than men's?

Yes, women's college basketball has recently become more popular than men's in terms of viewership, with the 2024 NCAA Women's Championship drawing a larger TV audience than the men's for the first time ever, driven by superstars like Caitlin Clark, record-breaking ratings, and increased media attention. While men's college basketball traditionally draws bigger overall crowds and has deeper institutional roots, the women's game's popularity has surged dramatically, with its championship game becoming the most-watched basketball game (men's or women's, college or pro) since 2019.

Is men's or women's college basketball more popular?

Last year, the women's NCAA championship game drew more viewers than the men's title game, peaking at 24 million viewers. That would have been unthinkable even a few years ago. But this surge in popularity is real — the bumper crowd sizes, inflated ticket prices and critical acclaim speak for themselves.

Is women's college basketball getting more popular?

N.C.A.A.

In 2024, the women's finals garnered 18.9 million viewers, while the men's finals had 14.8 million viewers. For the women, it was a dramatic jump from the year before, when the final drew almost 10 million viewers.

Do more people watch Mens or women's March Madness?

For the first time, the women's title game drew more viewers than the men's, averaging 18.7 million viewers on ABC and ESPN and peaking at 24 million viewers.

Is NCAA women's basketball viewership down?

This year's NCAA Women's March Madness (57 games) across ESPN platforms averaged 1.2 million viewers, up +22% from the 2023 tournament and a massive +89% from 2022. At the time 2023 was the most-watched NCAA Tournament in over a decade.

The reason women's college basketball is better than men’s

Is anyone watching women's college basketball?

Women's college basketball delivered its most-watched regular season on ESPN platforms since 2008-09. Viewership for the 2024-25 campaign finished 3% above the historic 2023-24 regular season with a whopping 41% increase over 2022-23. In all, the 87 women's games across ESPN platforms averaged 280,000 viewers.

What is the #1 watched sport?

The #1 most watched sport globally is Soccer (Football), with billions of fans worldwide, dominating in Europe, South America, Africa, and Asia, far surpassing other sports in overall viewership and participation, with Cricket and Basketball following as popular second and third. While American Football is huge in the U.S., soccer's universal appeal, accessibility, and massive events like the FIFA World Cup, make it the undisputed global champion.
 

Why are women's sports viewed less?

Professional women's sports receive less attention than men's due to reasons such as unequal media coverage, longevity, and the perception that men's sports are more competitive than women's sports. Unequal media coverage is a significant factor in the lower popularity and attention given to women's sports.

Is the NBA ball bigger than NCAA?

The standard basketball size used in college (NCAA) basketball for men and women is the same size that is used in both the NBA and WNBA, which is 29.5in (size 7) for men and 28.5in (size 6) for women. The ball must be inflated so that the weight of the ball is a maximum of 22oz for men and a maximum of 20oz for women.

Has a school ever won Mens and women's March Madness in the same year?

The next day, the UConn Huskies women's team won the women's NCAA basketball tournament, only the second time that a school has won both the men's and women's Division I national basketball championships in the same year; UConn first accomplished this in 2004.

What's the fastest growing women's sport?

Flag football has been one of the fastest-growing sports at the youth, high school and collegiate levels and will debut as an Olympic sport for men and women in 2028. There were about 40 NCAA schools with women's flag football teams in 2025, and the organization projected that 60 could be competing this spring.

How much does Caitlin Clark make?

Caitlin Clark's WNBA salary is modest, part of a four-year rookie deal totaling around $338,000, with her 2025 base pay being about $78,066, but her total earnings (including major endorsements with Nike, Gatorade, etc.) placed her among the highest-paid female athletes, estimated at over $12 million in 2025, with some reports putting her total income near $16 million.
 

Did WNBA ratings drop without Clark?

While Clark's absence may not have had a significant impact on the WNBA regular season games on ESPN, all evidence suggests it did affect the league's 2025 All-Star Game, which aired on ESPN on July 19.

Why do female basketball players wear one legging?

WNBA players wear one legging for a mix of functional and stylistic reasons, primarily popularized by A'ja Wilson who found it provided warmth and support for a specific leg without the restriction of full tights, leading to a trend for injury prevention, muscle recovery (compression), personal comfort, covering scars, and as a signature fashion statement or ritual. The single sleeve helps with circulation and muscle support while allowing freedom for the other leg, becoming an iconic part of players' on-court identity.
 

What sports is Gen Z playing?

Gen Z's favorite sports center around football (NFL & College) and basketball (NBA & College), but also show strong interest in soccer, MMA/UFC, Esports, F1, and women's sports like the NWSL, valuing digital engagement, player personalities, and diverse, inclusive sports culture, though they watch live sports less often than older generations. 

Is women's basketball 3 point line the same as men's?

The NCAA 3-point line is at 22 feet, 1 ¾ inches for both women and men.

Are NBA rims really 10 ft?

Yes, the NBA rim is exactly 10 feet (3.05 meters) high, a standard height used across all levels of competitive basketball (high school, college, professional) since basketball's invention by James Naismith. This consistent height ensures fairness and provides a challenging but achievable target for players, making it the universal standard for the sport.
 

Why can't NCAA players wear 6 7 8 9?

College basketball players couldn't wear numbers with digits 6, 7, 8, or 9 because refs needed one hand to signal each digit to the scorekeeper, a rule intended for clarity but considered outdated, leading the NCAA to change it around 2023 to allow numbers 0-99, though some legacy restrictions might still exist. 

Is college 3pt line the same as NBA?

The NBA has a 22-foot 3-point line in the corners and a 23-foot, 9-inch line elsewhere. The WNBA and the international game plays with a 20-foot, 6-inch line. The NCAA men's game has a 20-foot, 9-inch line while the NCAA women and high schools have a 19-foot, 9-inch line.

What is the least popular women's sport?

In general, disciplines such as tennis, athletics or figure skating arouse more interest among women than men. Motor sports, by contrast, are the least popular.

What sports do females watch the most?

In terms of viewership and increased interest, here are some of the most watched women's sports with quite the large fan bases.

• Tennis. Tennis has been a favored pastime of women for centuries. ...
• Soccer. One of the world's most popular sports, soccer, is led by FIFA . ...
• Volleyball. ...
• Gymnastics. ...
• Swimming. ...
• Track-and-field.

Is women's basketball more popular than men's?

Perhaps the most eye-opening example: the 2024 NCAA women's basketball championship averaged 18.9 million TV viewers, surpassing the men's championship (14.8 million) for the first time in history[15][16].

Which sport is growing the fastest?

1. Pickleball – The Fastest-Growing Sport in the U.S. Pickleball is a paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong on a small court.

What is America's favorite sport?

American football remains the most popular sport in the United States, with close to 40 percent of the population naming it as their favorite, while basketball ranks second at around 20 percent. Below soccer in the popularity rankings are baseball, hockey, MMA, and several other sports.

What is America's #1 sport?

The number one sport in America is overwhelmingly American football, particularly the NFL, consistently ranking as the favorite spectator sport across all demographics, significantly ahead of basketball, baseball, and soccer in viewership and fan preference polls. Football's dominance is seen in high TV ratings, large stadium attendance, and widespread appeal, making it a cultural staple, despite the growing popularity of sports like soccer.