By Kalena Reynolds | Staff Writer
In 2024, Forbes reported an astounding 89% viewership increase for the women’s March Madness games across all six rounds on ABC and ESPN. This statistic represents the growing momentum of women’s sports in the past two years, bringing heightened visibility to individual players and reshaping the financial landscape.
As female college athletes have taken the media by storm, increased television coverage and financial recognition are propelling women’s sports to new heights. For the first time, individual players are being highlighted on the same level as their male counterparts.
Caitlin Clark, former Iowa basketball star and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, has been instrumental in pushing for greater representation and compensation for female athletes. In her final season with the Hawkeyes, Clark reportedly earned around $3 million in NIL deals. By comparison, Cooper Flagg, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, is currently valued at $3.3 million in NIL earnings, according to Sports Illustrated.
The contrast becomes even starker when looking at Aliyah Boston, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft, who On3 valued her NIL at $116,000 — a fraction of Clark’s $3 million. This disparity highlights a key issue: the gap between the popularity of women’s college sports and their professional leagues.
One of the biggest drivers of change is expanded media coverage. According to The New Yorker, “around four million people watched Baylor beat Notre Dame [in 2019], and nearly 20 million watched the University of Virginia’s men’s team beat Texas Tech.”
This growth directly correlates with increased exposure across TV, radio, ESPN and social media.
In 2022, Forbes reported that sports media coverage for women’s sports has risen to 15%, which accounts for digital publication, broadcasts, streaming and social media. Prior to 2022, that statistic was less than 6%.
Sara Gotfredson, founder of a marketing firm for women’s sports, told AP News that the key difference now is simply more conversation.
“There’s just more media coverage now, which helps immensely from a brand perspective,” Gotfredson said. “That’s helping. When a men’s player does some fantastic thing, it gets covered on talk radio and SportsCenter. You’re seeing that now on the women’s side, and it becomes water cooler conversation.”
The rise of women’s sports across social media and major networks signals more than just increased visibility — it represents progress toward equal opportunities for female athletes.
With continued coverage and player opportunities, women’s college sports are positioned for exponential growth. Most of the credit should go to women’s basketball, which has paved the way for other sports like women’s volleyball, soccer and tennis, which are now receiving increased coverage as well.
Supporting female athletes isn’t just about individual players— it’s about elevating the entire landscape of women’s sports. More fans means more media coverage, and ultimately, translates into more NIL and opportunities for the face of women’s athletics.
