The NCAA women's ratings success was no accident. This generation of stars who presented themselves at the WNBA Draft a few days after the university tournament once again blew up the counters and confirmed the “hype” surrounding them.
Indeed, 2.45 million spectators (with a peak of 3.09 million) watched Caitlin Clark become the first choice of the 2024 Draft on ESPN, as well as the arrivals of Cameron Brink, Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese in the league.
“Audiences are at their peak. Women's basketball is booming. Everyone is listening », observes and rejoices Rickea Jackson, fourth choice in the Draft.
This figure completely explodes the old record which dates from the 2004 Draft, when the Mercury drafted Diana Taurasi, since elected the greatest player in WNBA history. But, at the time, 600,000 people watched the event.
And to further demonstrate the success that this 2024 edition represents, we must remember that last season, the Draft only attracted 512,000 viewers, almost five times less…
