Uconn is the perfect example of the growing phenomenon around women’s sports. In recent years Paige Bueckers has been a particularly popular figure on social media, with over two million followers on Instagram. She is the predicted first pick for the WNBA, announced no. 1 in scoring average (19.8 points per game) and no. 3 in career points (2,439), and this new level of talent has encouraged a new generation of fans to attend the NCAA championship. This increased viewership has also had positive effects on other players such as Sarah Strong, a freshman at Uconn with a 16.2 point average, who is beginning to garner more attention and is rumoured to be the first pick at the WNBA when she graduates. 8.5 million viewers tuned in to watch their match against South Carolina, making it the third most-watched women’s college basketball championship on record. This is the Uconn Huskies’ 12th title, and it looks like they’re only going up from here.
But it wasn’t always such smooth sailing. Women’s college basketball generated 60% more media coverage than the men's tournament in 2024, and yet in the WNBA players are significantly less funded than the NBA. The average NBA salary is $11.9 million, whereas the average WNBA salary stands at $119,590. Similarly, the NBA revenue is $10.58 billion while the WNBA’s is only $200 million. In a professional setting, the popularity in womens’ basketball decreases significantly; even if players in NCAA decide to continue basketball as a profession after graduating, the lack of funding and publicity may dissuade them from pursuing it as a full-time career. As seen in most tournament sports, men’s teams are significantly more popular, and Uconn players’ recent win and flashy Nike sponsorships isn’t likely to change that. But can it help?
The WNBA is steadily growing in popularity throughout the US and beyond, as evidenced by skyrocketing viewership, attendance and expansion. The publicity given to Uconn players- particularly through social media platforms such as Tiktok- has meant that as several players leave college basketball to join the WNBA, so does their reputation. Players such as Caitlyn Clark, Sue Bird and Breanna Stewert have all graduated from the NCAA to the WNBA, leading their fans from college basketball to a professional court; and perhaps Paige Bueckers and Uconn will be the next to achieve this with a younger generation. Maybe one win won’t fix the gender gap in basketball- but the media storm it generated could be the beginning of that change.