Women’s Final Four Semifinals: Mississippi State’s Historic Victory Over UConn Earns 1.9 Overnight, Peaks at 2.7; Two-Game Overnight Up From Last Year, Most-Streamed Semifinals Ever

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Women’s Final Four Semifinals: Mississippi State’s Historic Victory Over UConn Earns 1.9 Overnight, Peaks at 2.7; Two-Game Overnight Up From Last Year, Most-Streamed Semifinals Ever

  • Mississippi State vs. UConn: Equals Best Overnight for a Semifinal During UConn’s Four-Year National Championship Run (2013-2016); Most-Streamed Women’s Final Four Game Ever

Mississippi State vs. UConn (March 31 at 10 p.m. ET) delivered a 1.9 overnight on ESPN2 and a total of 233,000 viewers streamed the game, equaling the best overnight* for a Women’s Final Four Semifinal during UConn’s four-year national championship run, which started in 2013 (10 semifinal games), and becoming the most-streamed Women’s Final Four game ever based on total viewers (Semifinal or Championship game).

The overnight peaked at an impressive 2.7 rating when the Bulldogs and Huskies were in overtime (midnight – 12:15 a.m.) and Mississippi State’s Morgan William hit the game-winning shot.

Additional Mississippi State vs. UConn Superlatives:

  • Huskies Garner Big Local Interest: Hartford was the No. 1 local market, pulling in a 16.6 rating. The complete top markets:
Rank Market Rating
1 Hartford 16.6
2 Greensboro 4.8
3 Memphis 4.3
4 Knoxville 4.1
5 Birmingham 3.8
6 Portland 2.9
7 Albuquerque-Santa Fe 2.7
Oklahoma City 2.7
9 Charlotte 2.6
Nashville 2.6

 

  • Millions of Minutes Streamed: Fans streamed nearly 3 million minutes of the Bulldogs’ buzzer-beating win, up 19% from last season’s UConn semifinal (Oregon State vs. UConn).

ICYMI: The Mississippi State vs. UConn thriller is currently available on WatchESPN and will re-air Sunday, April 2, at noon on ESPNU.

Semifinal Overnight Up From Last Year, Most-Streamed Semifinals Ever
The entire Women’s Final Four Semifinals — Stanford vs. South Carolina and Mississippi State vs. UConn (7:30 p.m. to 12:15 a.m. on ESPN2), averaged a 1.5 overnight, an 7% increase from  last season’s Women’s Final Four** and equaling the 2015 Women’s Final Four**.  Additionally, on average, it is the most-streamed Women’s Final Four Semifinals ever in all major metrics, with average minute audience, unique viewers and total minutes up 11%, 150%, and 29%, respectively, from last year’s Final Four Semifinals.  Stanford vs. South Carolina (7:30 p.m.) earned a 1.0 overnight, equaling last year’s semifinal which aired on ESPN2 (Washington vs. Syracuse).

No. 2 Mississippi State vs. No. 1 South Carolina for the National Championship Sunday, April 2 on ESPN
After upsetting No. 1 UConn and breaking their long-standing winning streak of 111 games, No. 2 Mississippi State will face No. 1 South Carolina for the national championship title on Sunday, April 2, at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN.

**Notre Dame vs. UConn (April 7, 2013) also earned a 1.9 overnight; that game aired on ESPN

*This year marks the first year since 2002 that the Women’s Final Four Semifinals were played on Friday, with both games on ESPN2. Previously, both semifinals were played on Sunday (6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.). Last season, the first semifinal aired on ESPN and second on ESPN2. In 2015, both games aired on ESPN. All UConn Semifinal games from 2013-2017 aired on ESPN.

Please note: Final ratings and viewership will be available Monday afternoon

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Media contact: Derek Volner at 860-384-9986; [email protected] and @DerekVolner

Derek Volner

I currently lead ESPN’s NFL Communications, including Monday Night Football, NFL Draft and studio programming. Previously, I did the same for ESPN’s vast college football portfolio. I have been with ESPN since 2013.
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