WASHINGTON (April 10, 2024) – For the first time, more people tuned in to watch the women’s NCAA Division 1 finals than the men’s championship game, with 18.9 million viewers tuning in for the South Carolina-Iowa game compared to 14.8 million viewers for the men’s final. According to CBS News, the South Carolina-Iowa game on Sunday was the second most-watched non-Olympic women's sporting event ever on U.S. television behind the 2015 Women's World Cup Final and the most-watched basketball game (college or pro, men's or women's) in five years.
However there’s a large difference in the money earned for TV rights: $6.5 million for the women’s tournament and $873 million for the men’s.
Faculty experts at the George Washington University are available to offer insight, analysis and commentary on the Final Four including topics related to personal branding, viewership, and the future of streaming in sports. If you would like to speak with an expert, please contact GW Media Relations Specialist Cate Douglass at [email protected].
Lisa Delpy Neirotti is the director of the MS in Sport Management Program and an associate professor of Sport Management. She has been a professor of sport, event, and tourism management GW for more than 30 years. Delpy Neirotti helped develop the Sport Philanthropy Certificate, which serves to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of non-profit organizations using sport for social good. She also directs the GW Green Sports Scorecard to help increase the sustainability of sport facilities, organizations and events. Beyond her responsibilities at GW, Dr. Delpy Neirotti works with a number of sport event organizations, sponsors, and professional teams to conduct economic and market research studies including the Olympic Games, World Cup, and College Football Bowl Games, among others.
Meredith Geisler is a visiting assistant professor of sport management with over 30 years of experience in sports public relations. Prior to her appointment at GW, Meredith was senior vice president of communications for Tandem Sports + Entertainment, a full-service sports and entertainment agency with expertise in athlete management, talent representation, marketing, communications and publicity services. Tandem represents some of the biggest stars in professional sports and broadcasting, including elite NBA and WNBA athletes, broadcasters, coaches, industry executives and sports organizations. Prior to helping launch Tandem in 2013, Meredith founded sports PR company Meredith communications and previously held senior roles at Advantage International (now Octagon), Fila USA, Total Sports and eoSports.
Melinda Roth is a visiting associate professor of law at the George Washington University Law School. Roth has two decades of experience at the World Bank. In addition to her private and financial sector development and risk management, Roth teaches Sports Law at GW Law. She has experience comparing (legalized) sports betting and stock market investing and to contrast and compare the regulatory frameworks of investments.
-GW-
