“Clarkmania” does not subside. The AP reports that Caitlin Clark and Iowa can now claim another record: that of the most-watched first-round game in the history of the women's NCAA tournament.
With 27 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds from the local star, the Hawkeyes' victory (91-65) over Holy Cross on Saturday was followed on average by 3.23 million viewers on ABC, according to Nielsen.
An audience that surpassed the 2.5 million viewers who watched last year's Elite Eight matchup between Iowa and Louisville, making it the most-watched women's tournament game of all time, outside of the Final Four matches and the final title.
This is the third Iowa game this season where the average viewership exceeds 3 million. The seven Iowa games broadcast on national networks – ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox – averaged 2.27 million viewers. Iowa's regional semifinal against Colorado on Saturday will be broadcast on ABC.
A broader craze?
Last year, the women's March Madness final between LSU and Iowa averaged 9.9 million viewers, becoming the most-watched women's college game in history. This television craze is of course linked to the exploits of the woman who became the best scorer in NCAA history.
But the phenomenon seems to go beyond Caitlin Clark. According to ESPN, a cumulative 1.5 billion minutes were watched on television and streaming platforms during the first round. This is the highest number ever recorded in the history of the women's tournament and an increase of 70% compared to last year.
The match between UConn and Jackson State, for example, exceeded one million viewers on ABC, making it the third most-watched first round game.
