The 2023-2024 women’s college basketball season has experienced a surge in viewership, with FOX reporting a 48% increase in TV ratings. This surge, along with increased ticket prices and advertisement spikes, confirms the predicted growth in women’s college basketball. In response to these increases, networks are adopting ad sale strategies that are similar to the Super Bowl, which will bolster support and investment in women’s athletics overall. The market for women鈥檚 sports is extremely strong, and sponsors are taking notice.
Viewership Surge
This season, FOX experienced a remarkable 48% increase in women’s basketball TV ratings, contributing to a broader 60% surge across major networks for the 2023-2024 season. Importantly, FOX consistently garners higher TV ratings for women’s college basketball compared to men’s. Among the top-viewed women’s games to date, four featured Iowa Women鈥檚 Basketball, with matchups against Ohio State and Nebraska attracting an average of 3.4 million and 1.8 million viewers, respectively.
The increase in viewership is not limited to one season. Audience sizes have been steadily growing over several years, leading to the success of the 2023 national championship game between Iowa and LSU, which drew an average of 9.9 million viewers. Importantly, this figure marked a milestone as the most-watched women’s college basketball game ever and eclipsed ESPN’s previous records for college basketball viewership, men鈥檚 or women鈥檚.
Ticket Price Increases
The 2023-2024 Women鈥檚 College Basketball season also witnessed numerous sold-out games and increased ticket prices, accompanied by surges in both single-game and season ticket purchases. The 2024 Big Ten Women鈥檚 Basketball Tournament experienced a sell-out for the first time in its 30 year history.
The get-in price for the 2024 Women’s Basketball Championship game is currently at $390, which is 50% more expensive than the $192 get-in ticket price for the Men’s Championship game. The Final Four get-in prices have an even wider gap, as the Women’s Final Four price is at $774 compared to a price of $242 for the Men’s Final Four. The Albany 2 Region, which features top programs including Iowa, LSU, and UCLA, is seeing a current Sweet Sixteen get-in ticket price of $225-227.
Advertisement Spikes
The surge in viewership during the 2023 Women鈥檚 National Championship has translated into a tenfold rise in both pricing and demand, marking a stark departure from previous seasons. According to Disney, the Women鈥檚 Basketball Tournament鈥檚 ad slots are very well-sold with slots for the title game priced at approximately $500,000. While this pricing is half the cost of slots for the men鈥檚 championship game ($1 million), it reflects a significant increase from previous years when spots during the women鈥檚 title game were under $100,000.
Based on these increases in ad interest, networks are now adopting strategies similar to the Super Bowl, requiring advertisers to commit additional spending in other women鈥檚 sports to secure slots during women’s college basketball tournament broadcasts. Specifically, ESPN is requiring a minimum spend of $1 million along with an equivalent amount for other women鈥檚 sports. a strategy aimed at bolstering support and investment in women’s athletics. Tatari, a TV advertising and data company, anticipates featuring at least a dozen clients advertising in both Men’s and Women’s March Madness across linear and streaming TV platforms. Many of Tatari’s clients also maintained a consistent presence during Iowa鈥檚 games throughout the season.
These are exciting times in women鈥檚 sport. With viewership soaring, ticket prices rising, and ad sales strategies evolving, the 2023-2024 women’s college basketball season marks a cultural phenomenon, signaling a seismic shift in the landscape of women’s athletics, with sponsors and networks alike recognizing its immense potential.