The 2025 Women’s March Madness tournament has come to a close and the UConn Huskies put together one of the most dominant NCAA Tournament runs of all-time behind future No. 1 overall WNBA Draft pick Paige Bueckers.
Despite leading her team to a national title and cementing her legacy as one of the all-time greats at UConn, Bueckers has immediately drawn comparisons to last year’s No.1 pick Caitlin Clark.
Last year, the women’s college basketball national championship game drew in 18.9 million viewers, the most all-time. However, viewership numbers declined significantly without Clark on the court this season. Only 8.5 million viewers tuned into UConn’s route versus South Carolina, a ratings decline of over 55%.
Let’s go over a few potential reasons for the decline in the Women’s March Madness viewership in 2025.
UConn’s Dominance Left Little Room For Drama
From the opening round to the title game, UConn looked virtually unbeatable, with every game seemingly decided well before the final buzzer.
UConn put together one of the most dominant March Madness runs together in 2025. On their way to winning the national championship, the Huskies outscored opponents by 197 points, tied for the third-most all-time. That’s the highest point differential since the 2015-16 UConn team outscored opponents by 239 points.
While UConn’s performance was one for the record books, their dominance may have unintentionally contributed to the steep drop in TV ratings. With blowout after blowout, the sense of suspense and competitiveness that typically draws in casual fans was largely missing.
For many fans, the thrill of March Madness lies in the potential for chaos—underdog wins, buzzer-beaters, and unpredictable outcomes. UConn’s steamrolling of the competition left little room for drama.
JuJu Watkins’ ACL Injury Also Played A Role
Another major storyline that impacted this year’s tournament was the absence of USC superstar JuJu Watkins, who suffered an ACL injury in the Trojans’ second-round game.
Watkins had emerged as one of the most electric young players in the country, and a potential Elite Eight matchup between her and Bueckers could have created the kind of star-powered showdown that was missing from this year’s March Madness tournament.
Much like last year’s Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese rivalry, a Bueckers vs. Watkins battle had the potential to capture national attention and elevate the tournament’s cultural impact. Instead, fans were left to imagine what could have been, as two of the sport’s brightest stars were never able to share the spotlight on the biggest stage.
Clark’s Absence Certainly Contributed To The Drop
The absence of Clark, a transcendent talent who became a household name in 2023 and 2024, also played a major role. Her flair, deep shooting, and rivalry with Reese helped elevate the sport’s visibility to unprecedented heights. Without their presence, there was a noticeable dip in mainstream coverage around the tournament. Bueckers is an elite talent in her own right, but Clark’s star power and media presence were more captivating for casual fans.
As the sport continues to grow and new stars emerge, the foundation laid by players like Clark, Bueckers, and Watkins are setting the stage for women’s college basketball to remain in the spotlight for years to come.
