Caitlin Clark Effect Still Being Felt, As UConn's Final Four Title Game Ratings Show

While Caitlin Clark might not have been playing in Sunday's South Carolina versus UConn national title game, it's clear that interest in the sport is still rising, even if the ratings from Sunday's game were down. 

There has always been a question whether the women's game could continue to capitalize on the previous two years ratings bonanza. According to Sports Media Watch, ratings for Sunday's national championship game between the Huskies and Gamecocks were down 55% from last year's game featuring Catilin Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes. 

The report states that UConn's blowout win over South Carolina averaged 8.5 million viewers, which is down from last year's game that averaged 18.9 million viewers. While this is obviously a dramatic drop, it was only a 14% drop compared to the 2022 championship game that featured LSU and Iowa. 

If you take Catilin Clark out of the conversation, the women's game has clearly grown over the years, considering that the 2023 title game that featured South Carolina and UConn delivered 4.85 million viewers, in a game that was only broadcast on cable. 

While the ratings for this year's game will certainly draw a strong comparison to the previous two years, I would imagine folks at the NCAA will be satisfied with the overall ratings for this year's game. Dating back to 1988, Sunday's game was the most-watched game not featuring Clark in women's college basketball history, which is under the Nielsen metric. 

While the game was somewhat close until midway through the second half, UConn held a 20-plus point lead to start the fourth quarter, which obviously had folks turning the channel. 

Women's College Basketball Continues Growth, Despite Previous Two Years

There is no denying the impact Caitlin Clark had on women's basketball, and while the sports it hoping to catch lightning in a bottle once again, the more reasonable thing is to look at the growth from the season before Clark played for a title. 

Over the previous few weeks of the NCAA Tournament, coaches in the women's game have spoken up about wanting to know their true value when it comes to the sport. Right now, ESPN and the NCAA agreed to an eight-year deal that pays the NCAA $115 million annually, with the women's tournament part of that contract. 

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MARCH 25: Head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies reacts during the first quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Climate Pledge Arena on March 25, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

UConn head coach Geno Aurimemma wondered aloud this past weekend if the contract should be reevaluated, to see just how much women's basketball is worth to the network. 

"For years and years and years we’ve been packaged with all the other Olympic sports, so to speak, in one big chunk. Can we completely separate ourselves and say: What are we worth to you?" Geno Auriemma said.

Judging by the numbers for this year's game, there is a case to make. But, it's also clear that it will be hard to recreate the effect Caitlin Clark had on the women's game. 

But, there is obvious growth, which shows that the popularity of women's college basketball is not going in the wrong direction.