Iowa vs. Connecticut was ESPN’s highest-rated basketball game ever

Washington Post ^ | April 6, 2024 | By Kareem Copeland

[Kazan]

CLEVELAND — Women’s college basketball continues to grab the nation’s attention at an unprecedented rate, and the metrics prove it.

The Final Four game between Iowa and Connecticut on Friday was the most-watched basketball game ever aired on ESPN; an average of 14.2 million viewers tuned in, and the broadcast peaked at 17 million viewers.

Iowa defeated U-Conn., 71-69, to advance to its second consecutive national championship game with star guard Caitlin Clark leading the way.

The previous record for an ESPN basketball broadcast was 13.51 million viewers for Game 7 of the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.

[dfwgator]

Especially when the South Carolina coach gets her wish and puts trannies on the team.

[MinorityRepublican]

[Hot Tabasco]

Disappointing loss. But it's hard to compete against a team with players with a 6 foot seven monster, players with purple weaves, weird braids and paint brush eyelashes. All made up for a rap concert........

No such displays from the almost all white team of Iowa.

But boy, that was a fun game to watch......

[IndyTiger]

Yes it was an entertaining game. South Carolina just too big and strong for Iowa. Without Clark, the Hawkeyes would have lost by 30.

[Kazan]

I wouldn’t be surprised if the women’s championship game ends up drawing more viewers than the men’s and that would be a first.

[dfwgator]

Well now I can go back to hating Women’s basketball.

[Hot Tabasco]

I agree. Not only myself, who is not a basketball fan, but several other like minded friends watched the game.......

The purple haired braids, paint brush eyelashes, won the day.......

Oh well, good for the all American white girls with no bling. Their record is now 71 - 2........Not too bad.

[HIDEK6]

Not only is the women’s ball smaller, it is also lighter. This is sometimes called the DEI advantage.

Since the goal remains the same size, free throws are easier to make.

[Hot Tabasco]

Not only is the women’s ball smaller, it is also lighter...free throws are easier to make.

Shaquille O'Neal's free throw percentage was only 52.7 percent. Maybe he should have used a lighter ball.......

[HIDEK6]

Ball is 3 percent smaller and 9% lighter. At the elite level of competition, that level is significant.

[VideoDoctor]

I don’t know what your source for that is, but it’s nonsense.

College Basketball Hoop Height

When it comes to college basketball, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has slightly different rules for men and women. The NCAA states that the official hoop height for men’s basketball is 10 feet, while the official hoop height for women’s basketball is 9 feet. Again, the NCAA states that the height of the hoop should be measured from the ground to the bottom of the rim.

https://basketballfandom.com/how-tall-is-a-womens-basketball-hoop/#Official_Basketball_Hoop_Height