NCAA Tournament ratings

[yoda]

First- everyone has heard that the women's NCAA Tourney set all kinds of records and even blew out many of the men's ratings records over the past decade or more. The Women's Championship game drew more audience than any of last fall's World Series or NBA Championship series, and set all time records for WBB. Everyone knows why, and yet the media and pundits seem to keep pushing the idea that the appeal is broader than just one person, but you decide.

On the men's side, overall viewership was up 4% over 2023, BUT - all of the audience gain over last year can more than be accounted for by just 3 games that drew way better than expected-
First, the upset win by underdog NC State over Duke in the Elite Eight plus the two games for underdog #14 seed-Oakland where they upset Kentucky then in their next game lost to the other underdog #11 seed-NC State.

All of which says that had it not been for those fascinating UNDERDOG games, the games with mid-majors & lower seeds that all the gurus want eliminate altogether from the tournament, then the ratings would have been well down from last year - and just maybe this argues they need MORE underdogs in the tourney, not fewer.

[Dub]

It’s true no doubt. If there were no underdog victories, enthusiasm and viewership by casual fans would reduce dramatically. I hope someone sees that.

[Peoria_bradley_fan]

To be honest, this surprises me. However I love this topic.

The women's game has everything the men's game wish it had (used to have). It's got fire power, star power, rivalries, drama, all of it. I do believe the women's game will fall off in popularity with CC graduating (of course), but it's not going to return to levels of where it was even just two years ago. It's still going to find it's heros and superstars and build those rivalries, this creating story lines and amazing entertainment.

See, the women sit still. They stay where they are and are consistent. The NIL has done wonders for the women and they literally make more money in school then anywhere else. Especially in their own markets where they are building their fan bases. Sure, yes there is some movement, but it's nothing like the men's game. Iowa fell in love with CC, and because she played 4 years in college, the country was able to as well. If there was more money outside of college for the women, or insane money in NIL to hop around, the CC saga wouldn't of even ever happened.

I project the men's side is going to start to dramatically lose viewership and attendance will plummet. Except for maybe the top 20-25 teams in the country. Ultimately though, they too will feel the affects of this bazaar landscape.

See, the men's side has no heros. No rivalries. No story lines, no dramatics. Remember when the UCONN women used to always win? That's literally what's happening now on the men's side (just so happens to actually be UCONN). No one cared about women's basketball then. The season had a forgone conclusion. The NIL era has just not been very exciting on the men's side, at least so far (not implying it will be, but giving it a chance I guess).

Everyone's moving and chasing money. No one is sitting still. It's great for the kids and I truly can't blame them. However it's awful for the game. The game is going to shrink in popularity as fan bases dwindle and detach especially at the low major/mid major/low high major levels.

I project the attendance in the Valley next year is going to fall off of a cliff. Sure, Bradley should be up, and I guess I'm grateful for how the chips have fallen to put Bradley in a prime position to be successful next year, but I wish it was under different circumstances.

I'm not going to lie. I kind of wish we were going up against a Drake with Devries and Enright to avenge how they've handled us the last two years. I wish a ranked Indiana State team was going to come to Carver. Those things aren't happening. There's not a single game next year that holds any drama or weight other than just some imaginary rivalry between schools (I guess we hate ISU, but I can't even name 3 players on that team right now).

Indiana State is going to try. Their fans are going to try and show up. But they are going to get there, and it just isn't going to be "their guys". Unless somehow they are extraordinarily good again next year, attendance will plummet and the fan base will get sour. I'd be surprised if the Trees average 5k fans next year. They certainly won't if they are sub .500.

Drakes already had attendance problems even with how good they were. Now? Yikes. Northern Iowa? Yea right. Belmont? Lost everyone. That program will be lucky to average 3k a game after a couple of years in this landscape. Murray state couldn't even keep the kid that it shared a name with.

Fortunately our Bradley Braves - at least for right now - are in a prime position to have a very successful year. Hopefully we are able to further utilize the portal and find success with it. I am optimistic of that and the future of Bradley Basketball.

I am not optimistic over the future of NCAAM basketball as a whole.

[Bradley8792]

All of which says that had it not been for those fascinating UNDERDOG games, the games with mid-majors & lower seeds that all the gurus want eliminate altogether from the tournament, then the ratings would have been well down from last year - and just maybe this argues they need MORE underdogs in the tourney, not fewer.

Agreed. Great observation.

[yoda]

Yeah- all that hype about near sellouts at Drake & Indiana State will be ancient history.
Meanwhile, Bradley has sustained a solid 5,000 fan base thru the worst (Geno Ford/JKG) era in DI basketball history.
Time for Bradley to get headlines for sellouts & huge crowds, let’s hope it happens.