UConn-Purdue Championship: Viewership Sees Slight Boost from Previous Year
Turner Sports reported an average of 14.8 million viewers for the UConn-Purdue men’s national championship game. The 2023 national championship game between UConn and San Diego State, which drew 14.69 million viewers—the lowest-watched men’s championship game ever—saw a marginal increase in viewership.
Though I do not think the statistic should surprise anyone, this is two straight poor audience ratings for the men’s final game. There are a few reasonable hypotheses if you are searching for reasons. First, a wide victory margin damaged the game. If a game is not close at the end, you lose interest in it.
As many have discussed, this year’s tournament did not have any Zion Williamson-type of players who were locks for a top-five NBA Draft selection.
TNT and TBS/truTV, which have fewer households than CBS, broadcast the championship game. It is not helped by the commencement time. Also, there was not much of a ratings boost from the national semifinals. Everything adds up. Given how many people make brackets and wager on the games, there will always be interest in the tournament, but from this angle, stars are necessary to generate a high rating.
In contrast, the Iowa-South Carolina women’s national championship game peaked at 24.1 million viewers, drawing a record 18.9 million viewers. (The initial viewership estimate was 18.7 million.) That represents a 289 percent increase from 2022 and a 90 percent increase from the 2023 championship game. According to ESPN, this is the most viewed basketball match since 2019—college or professional, men’s or women’s.
Since UNC vs. Gonzaga got 22.998 million viewers on CBS in 2017, the men’s national championship game has not drawn more than 20 million viewers. The 1979 Michigan State vs. Indiana State men’s national championship game still holds the record for the most viewers (35.1 million).
The entire 2024 men’s NCAA Tournament averaged 9.9 million viewers for its 67 games, according to TNT and CBS Sports, representing a three percent increase from 2023.
In the national championship game on Monday, UConn defeated Purdue 75–60. The Huskies are the first team to win back-to-back NCAA titles since Florida in 2006–07.
(Photo: Greg Nelson / Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)