Before 2024, not many people could name any female basketball players. Now, athletes like Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have all become household names.
The 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament experienced astonishing growth in viewership compared to previous years.
The National Semifinals experienced their highest viewer count ever, with 11 million people watching. The Final Four had 13.8 million viewers, which was a 114% increase from 2023. The championship garnered almost 19 million viewers and became the most-watched women’s college basketball game in history.
After the record-breaking engagement with last year’s tournament, networks began to show more of women’s sports. Women’s basketball games were given better time slots, providing ample visibility for those who followed the sport.
Of course, none of this would have been possible without the star athletes.
Many fans are specifically drawn to Clark’s remarkable talent.
She currently holds the record for the NCAA women’s all-time leading scorer, with over 3,500 points. Clark was drafted into the WNBA by the Indiana Fever in 2024 and was awarded Rookie of the Year.
Aside from her skills, Clark is also a role model to young athletes, especially girls. She inspires many young women through her talent and dedication.
Clark’s success may be a preview for the future of women’s sports, as well as a beacon of hope for young girls aspiring to careers as professional athletes.
As for Bueckers, she became popular because of her humble and genuine attitude.
She is known for giving credit to her team and coaches after every win. Many fans also admire her advocacy efforts and willingness to call attention to social issues, like racial equality, within women’s sports.
“In the WNBA last season, the postseason awards, 80% of the winners were black, but they got half the amount of coverage as a white athlete, so I think it’s time for a change,” Bueckers said, in her 2021 ESPYs award speech, after winning Best Female College Athlete. “I think we should use this power together to also celebrate black women.”
In 2023, Reese led LSU to their first-ever NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship. She was awarded Most Outstanding Player for the season.
After college, she was drafted into the WNBA by the Chicago Sky and earned WNBA All-Star honors during her first year.
Reese is beloved by fans for her athletic abilities, confident personality and her efforts in advocacy for better representation in women’s sports. She has become a role model for the new generation of young black female athletes.
As exposure to successful female athletes is increasing within the mainstream media, new possibilities are opening up for women in sports.
These talented young women are sending a message to girls everywhere – you can do anything.
