2024 NCAA Tournament: TV Viewership

[BigTenGuy]

With respect, perhaps it was the Clark vs Reese show that was the draw…

Social media data supports your view.

According to data from Tubular Labs, videos about Caitlin Clark generated 92.2 million YouTube views from November 1, 2023 through April 1, 2024. That fervor has also only grown over time:

87.5 million of those views have come in the last 90 days, and 73.8 million have been since Feb. 15

. . .

Videos about LSU’s Angel Reese generated 33.9 million YouTube views, USC’s JuJu Watkins had 5.0 million and UConn’s Paige Bueckers had 3.8 million.

Audience Data Behind The Caitlin Clark Effect

 

[GamecockFam]

Some interesting viewership data tidbits:

“tune-in actually increased significantly as the game went on, from over 5 million P2+ [in-home] viewers in the immediate pre-game to well over 12.5 million near game's end as Iowa and Clark pulled away from LSU to seal the win.”

“The audience for Clark-focused videos supports the idea that women’s basketball audiences are actually a broad group. On YouTube, 85% of those that watched videos about Clark since Nov. 1 were men. In general, audiences for videos about Clark have a significant overlap with “mainstream” sports coverage. While popular women’s basketball social video account Women Hooping has a 23% audience overlap with Clark, accounts like Bleacher Report (68%), NBA on ESPN (40%), CBS Sports (38%) show even higher overlap and speak to her crossover appeal.”

Audience Data Behind The Caitlin Clark Effect

I would take those YouTube speculations with a grain of salt. YouTube is mostly a male audience, in general. Some older statistics which YouTube put out a while ago stated that roughly 60% of YouTube accounts are owned by males and that 80% of YouTube traffic is generated by those accounts Thus 85% male views is about the average with YouTube audiences.

My numbers may be off by a little because I am trying to recall this article from memory and I cannot seem to find it now.

 

[BigTenGuy]

I would take those YouTube speculations with a grain of salt. YouTube is mostly a male audience, in general. Some older statistics which YouTube put out a while ago stated that roughly 60% of YouTube accounts are owned by males and that 80% of YouTube traffic is generated by those accounts Thus 85% male views is about the average with YouTube audiences.

The Tubular Labs YouTube views data quoted in the article shows the following views from November 1, 2023-April 1, 2024 (the men listed are Naismith finalists):

Caitlin Clark - 92.2 million
Angel Reese - 33.9 million
Zach Edey - 10.2
R.J. Davis - 5.7 million
JuJu Watkins - 5.0 million
Paige Bueckers - 3.8 million
Dalton Knecht - 3.4 million
Jamal Shead - 638K

Not sure what you are saying. Are you saying that Clark's relative YouTube popularity is the result of a male YouTube audience skew? Is there evidence that Clark is relatively less popular with females?

 

[LETTERL]

I think just a few hundred may tune in to South Carolina/NC State because according to the media I've listened to, we're only there because someone had to win the Regional we were sent to. No suspense for a 40-point blowout win so no reason to tune in.

 

[TheFarmFan]

I think just a few hundred may tune in to South Carolina/NC State because according to the media I've listened to, we're only there because someone had to win the Regional we were sent to. No suspense for a 40-point blowout win so no reason to tune in.

James: "Hold my beer."
The 28 points I watched your team lay on mine in a single quarter says otherwise....

 

[WiseWillie]

Perhaps. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. Sabrina had huge exposure while at Oregon. ESPN and the media generally primed the public to embrace her. But it didn’t take. She didn’t move the tv ratings needle at all.

That was a lesson the production heads at ESPN learned and didn't repeat with CC. Once she came on the scene a huge publicity bandwagon was initiated early on including on social media (YouTube,et al) that they didn't do with SI with the results this year that have been touted by ESPN, the NCAA and the WNBA.

(And, please, hold the "sour grapes" or other invalid comments. This is not in any way intended to take away from what CC has done. She first of all had to produce - which she certainly did - but this is only an observation on how ESPN learned a valuable lesson. It's called promotion. The publicity pre and ongoing throughout the year was all designed by ESPN to prime the audience 100% more than they did with Sabrina. ESPN commentators repeated ad infinitum "CC has "redefined" the game" and ESPN puts out constant social media film and content that inundates You Tube.) It certainly has been a successful marketing strategy for all entities involved.

 

[visitingcock]

That was a lesson the production heads at ESPN learned and didn't repeat with CC. Once she came on the scene a huge publicity bandwagon was initiated early on including on social media (YouTube,et al) that they didn't do with SI with the results this year that have been touted by ESPN, the NCAA and the WNBA.

(And, please, hold the "sour grapes" or other invalid comments. This is not in any way intended to take away from what CC has done. She first of all had to produce - which she certainly did - but this is only an observation on how ESPN learned a valuable lesson. It's called promotion. The publicity pre and ongoing throughout the year was all designed by ESPN to prime the audience 100% more than they did with Sabrina. ESPN commentators repeated ad infinitum "CC has "redefined" the game" and ESPN puts out constant social media film and content that inundates You Tube.) It certainly has been a successful marketing strategy for all entities involved.

Uhm , you put it on ESPN. always the bad guy.

Look at the BIG 10 and FOX promotions

 

[BigTenGuy]

That was a lesson the production heads at ESPN learned and didn't repeat with CC. Once she came on the scene a huge publicity bandwagon was initiated early on including on social media (YouTube,et al) that they didn't do with SI with the results this year that have been touted by ESPN, the NCAA and the WNBA.

(And, please, hold the "sour grapes" or other invalid comments. This is not in any way intended to take away from what CC has done. She first of all had to produce - which she certainly did - but this is only an observation on how ESPN learned a valuable lesson. It's called promotion. The publicity pre and ongoing throughout the year was all designed by ESPN to prime the audience 100% more than they did with Sabrina. ESPN commentators repeated ad infinitum "CC has "redefined" the game" and ESPN puts out constant social media film and content that inundates You Tube.) It certainly has been a successful marketing strategy for all entities involved.

Interesting. I remain puzzled about Sabrina. The Oregon-Baylor Final Four game is the lowest rated WBB Final Four game (1.485 million viewers) since 2000 (the period for which SportsMediaWatch has published data), though not much lower than the other early semi-final games during the period 2016-19, 2021. As a Big Ten area WBB fan, I had certainly heard and seen a lot about Sabrina by the time she reached the Final Four.

 

[GamecockFam]

The Tubular Labs YouTube views data quoted in the article shows the following views from November 1, 2023-April 1, 2024 (the men listed are Naismith finalists):

Caitlin Clark - 92.2 million
Angel Reese - 33.9 million
Zach Edey - 10.2
R.J. Davis - 5.7 million
JuJu Watkins - 5.0 million
Paige Bueckers - 3.8 million
Dalton Knecht - 3.4 million
Jamal Shead - 638K

Not sure what you are saying. Are you saying that Clark's relative YouTube popularity is the result of a male YouTube audience skew? Is there evidence that Clark is relatively less popular with females?

Yes, I'm saying most YouTube videos have a majority male audience because more males spend ways more hours on the platform than females. You can't just use any statistic on any platform and make an assumption without comparing it against the baseline traffic for that platform. The typical YouTube video will have around a 4:1 male to females viewing ratio, so any meaningful information would have to be compared against that baseline to decipher it's meaning. If 85% of YouTube videos of Caitlin Clark are viewed by males, I would infer that to mean she is equally popular between men and women when comparing against the baseline traffic for YouTube.

 

[triaddukefan]

I expect something similar to the last turnout, but probably a hair less. UConn vs Iowa doesn't have the same Heroes vs Villains narrative of the LSU/Iowa matchup and it is not a rematch of a recent national title game, so I don't see it sucking in as many people. With that said, I still expect it to be a huge number, like 10 million or so.

LSU vs Iowa = UNLV vs Duke in 1991

 

[GoChips20]

I think just a few hundred may tune in to South Carolina/NC State because according to the media I've listened to, we're only there because someone had to win the Regional we were sent to. No suspense for a 40-point blowout win so no reason to tune in.

Disappointed in the lack of respect NC State is getting although it’s sadly somewhat expected given the way other Final Four “surprises” have been treated in recent years (Arizona in 2021, VA Tech last year). For what it’s worth, this SC fan is very nervous. NC State arguably has the best pair of wins in this tournament so far and has the best rotation of guards of any team left IMO.

 

[Ozimoto]

It will be interesting to see if the numbers from this year carry over to next year. Who will become the face of the sport next season and who will create the atmosphere for the media to promote?

 

[visitingcock]

It will be interesting to see if the numbers from this year carry over to next year. Who will become the face of the sport next season and who will create the atmosphere for the media to promote?

I think the camera will swing back to Paige - especially if UConn wins Friday

 

[LETTERL]

It will be interesting to see if the numbers from this year carry over to next year. Who will become the face of the sport next season and who will create the atmosphere for the media to promote?

I imagine it will be Juju Watkins...Paige Bueckers...Azzi Fudd...Olivia Miles...Hannah Hidalgo and Sarah Strong. All other players will be fighting for sunshine with those 6 dominating most of the attention.

 

[visitingcock]

NCAA Women’s Title Game Set; Despite Record Viewership, Deep Financial Inequities Remain

The match-up of the year headlines Sunday’s National Championship game in Cleveland as the University of South Carolina and the University of Iowa will square off.

www.forbes.com

 

[Matthew1589]

Iowa vs. UCONN viewership...

 

[DaBball]

Iowa vs. UCONN viewership...

The way that the Iowa games, in both the Elite Eight and Final Four games, significantly outdrew the other game is incredible. The Caitlin Clark effect one might say. Great numbers across the board regardless:

Iowa vs. LSU - 12.3 million (the rematch had a lot to do with this one too)
UConn vs. USC - 6.7 million

SC vs. NC State - 7.1 million
Iowa vs. UConn - 14.2 million

 

[TC22]

I imagine it will be Juju Watkins...Paige Bueckers...Azzi Fudd...Olivia Miles...Hannah Hidalgo and Sarah Strong. All other players will be fighting for sunshine with those 6 dominating most of the attention.

I think MiLaysia Fulwiley may have a few eyes on her also. With another year in the weight room and practice all summer long she will be a handful next year.

 

[Bjbod]

It will be interesting to see if the numbers from this year carry over to next year. Who will become the face of the sport next season and who will create the atmosphere for the media to promote?

I'll predict the ratings for the big games next year will be lucky to be 65% of this year's totals.

 

[Cornell Lt]

I'll predict the ratings for the big games next year will be lucky to be 65% of this year's totals.

All of UConn's non conference games next year will be rating bonanza's for the networks. The topper will be South Carolina/UConn

 

[triaddukefan]

 

[VAUConnFan]

LSU vs Iowa = UNLV vs Duke in 1991

I was rooting for UNLV to complete their perfect season.
Talk about Duke getting revenge.

 

[VAUConnFan]

And, it was a great game. As has been mentioned, it would have taken something akin to a perfect game no hitter for Iowa to beat South Carolina. Iowa struck out the side with nine pitches in the first inning, and stayed within striking distance until the ninth.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

That's a bigger number than the SEC football championship game and all but four CFB games total, I read. Huge.

Give Clark her roses: They weren't tuning in for South Carolina except as the foil.