Sustaining the Surge: The Future of Women’s March Madness Post-Clark

The popularity of the last two women's March Madness tournaments skyrocketed. Viewership for the finals in 2023 doubled anything seen in almost a decade, reaching an average of 9.9 million TV viewers. In 2024, the numbers reached astronomical levels, practically doubling again to an average of 18.9 million. The most remarkable aspect of it all was that the women's final outdrew the men's final, which garnered 14.82 million viewers. Some people may attribute this to multiple reasons: increased attention to women's sports, more competitive matchups, and a higher quality of play. However, just because these factors correlated with increased viewership doesn't mean they were the cause. The true cause was one thing and one thing only: Caitlin Clark. Now, the sport must find a way to sustain the viewership she brought in.

You might argue that pinning it all on Clark is an oversimplification and downplays the contributions of the other women in the tournament. Heck, we know Angel Reese would take issue with that. Some might look at the two years before Caitlin Clark's massive rise and say the increase in viewership during that time was a sign of growing interest. In 2021, 4.1 million viewers tuned in for the final, and in 2022, that number increased to 4.9 million. Before that, women's finals hadn't surpassed 4 million viewers since 2014. However, if we examine a 30-year graph, we see that those two years weren't necessarily indicative of the sport naturally rising.

Back in the early 2000s, the tournament nearly reached 6 million viewers twice, and in 1995, it peaked at around 7.5 million before 2023. This shows that women's basketball has seen viewership spikes before Clark, but those numbers were never sustained. So, who's to say the two years prior to her were any indication of natural growth? That doesn't mean, however, that sustained growth can't happen going forward.

The biggest advantage the women's tournament has over the men's is that the vast majority of women play through their senior season. This allows the sport to develop storylines that last for multiple years. In contrast, the men's tournament loses its most notable stars within a year, meaning whatever narratives emerge typically last only a couple of weekends. More often than not, the men who make a cultural impact during March Madness were already household names coming into the tournament, having been high school prodigies. The men's tournament doesn’t truly create lasting stars; it simply gives pre-established ones a place to shine. The women's tournament, however, has the power to create stars.

Take Caitlin Clark, for example. She wouldn't be who she is today without March Madness. Ask yourself this: Did you truly know who Caitlin Clark was in 2021, as a freshman, after Iowa lost in the Sweet 16? That year, she was the nation’s leading scorer, averaging 26.6 points, 7.1 assists, and 5.9 rebounds. If the WNBA draft age was 19 instead of 22, she would have gone pro. Had that happened, she likely wouldn't have ascended to her current level of stardom for quite some time, if ever. Yes, her talent and ability were the engine that propelled her, but March Madness was the vehicle that drove her to superstardom. Without those final two seasons, in which she defeated two defending champions (South Carolina and LSU), took down the most dominant program in women's basketball history (UConn), and made back-to-back finals appearances, she wouldn’t have become a transcendent figure. And without her, the sport wouldn’t have seen the massive viewership bump either.

However, Clark was also a special case. Not only did she have a storyline fit for Hollywood, but her talent was also truly unique. Many talented women’s basketball players have come and gone without attracting massive viewership numbers. What made Clark special was that she was the next Steph Curry. She shot and made the three-pointer at a rate better than anyone in college basketball—men or women. There's only been one Steph Curry for the men's game, so it’s unlikely we’ll see another Caitlin Clark for the women's game anytime soon. Therefore, marketing players effectively and ensuring they are set up for recurring storylines, success, and rivalries is key.

While the sport has seen an increase in talent, there is still a massive disparity between the top and bottom teams. Look no further than UConn’s matchup against Arkansas State, where they won 103-34. Even in men’s basketball, blowouts rarely reach that level. Upsets are rare in the women’s tournament due to this disparity. That presents a challenge because the most exciting aspect of March Madness’s first weekend is the potential for big upsets and Cinderella stories. The women’s tournament lacks that element, meaning its first weekend often struggles to generate significant viewership. Because of this, the focus should be on creating multi-year storylines for stars and fostering rivalries that captivate audiences in the later rounds.

This year, the best player in college basketball is JuJu Watkins of USC. She’s averaging 24.6 points, 7 rebounds, and 3.5 assists on 42.8% shooting. While her efficiency isn't the best, her explosiveness and shot-making ability are arguably the best in the women's game. She has led USC to multiple big wins over teams like UConn and UCLA. The best thing about her? She’s a sophomore. The NCAA will get two more seasons with her, meaning a deep tournament run this year is key to elevating her stardom. The second-biggest star is UConn’s Paige Bueckers, a senior who will be leaving after this season. Though a great player, she hasn’t proven to be a major draw for casual fans. However, UConn and USC are on a collision course for an Elite Eight matchup, and viewership for that game will be the first real test of how much people care about women’s March Madness post-Caitlin Clark. The best outcome for the sport is if JuJu wins that game. Even better for the sport overall would be if JuJu reaches the finals and loses to UCLA, creating an elite rivalry that captivates the nation. The fact that both schools are in the same city would be icing on the cake. It would also set up a prime redemption arc for JuJu’s junior season—just like Caitlin had in her senior year. Storylines like that are what will continue to elevate women's basketball.

Replacing Clark will be difficult. She was a perfect blend of talent and narrative, arriving at exactly the right time. She brought eyes to women's basketball like no one before her, and even skeptics of the sport were blown away by her performances and impact. Now, in the post-Clark era, those who run the sport, the tournament, and the media must ensure they curate stars with compelling and engaging storylines. That’s how people will remain invested in the product—not just in the sport itself but in the throughlines that keep them coming back year after year. With women staying in college for four years, authoring true college careers, they have an advantage their male counterparts simply cannot match: the ability to forge lasting connections with audiences and build legacies that resonate beyond a single season.