NCAA Basketball Viewership Trends Highlight Women's Growth and Men's Mixed Results
The 2025 NCAA tournaments show record-breaking women's basketball viewership and fluctuating ratings for the men's games, with Auburn's Elite Eight win drawing the largest audience so far.
- The NCAA men's basketball tournament is averaging 9.4 million viewers per game window, consistent with 2024 and up 3% from 2023.
- Auburn's Elite Eight victory over Michigan State attracted 11.7 million viewers, making it the most-watched game of the 2025 tournament so far.
- Sunday's Elite Eight matchups saw significant declines, with Houston-Tennessee drawing 7.1 million viewers, the lowest for a Sunday Elite Eight game since at least 2008.
- The NCAA women's regional semifinals continue to gain momentum, with LSU-NC State's game up 22% in viewership compared to the same window last year.
- Broader trends in sports media, including the influence of key teams and players, are driving shifts in audience engagement across both tournaments.
Sports Media Watch 
Sportico 