ESPN’s women’s and men’s college basketball are on pace for their best seasons in more than a decade
- Women’s college basketball viewership up 33% year over year, on pace for best season in 17 years
- Men’s college basketball viewership up 25%, pacing for best season in 11 years
- ESPN networks account for nine of the top 20 women’s games and 10 of the top 20 men’s games across all television
ESPN’s presentation of women’s and men’s college basketball is delivering significant year-over-year audience growth this season. Through Feb. 9, women’s college basketball games across ESPN networks are up 33% year-over-year and on pace for the sport’s best audience in 17 years. Men’s college basketball viewership is up 25% compared to last season and is on pace for its most-watched season in 11 years.
Women’s basketball
ESPN networks have aired nine of the 20 most-watched women’s games across all networks this season, including five of the top 10 and three of the top four. Three games have topped one million viewers.
The most-watched game of the season across all networks — South Carolina’s win over Tennessee on Feb. 8 — averaged 1.5 million viewers and peaked at 2.1 million. The Feb. 1 top-10 showdown between Oklahoma and Texas averaged 1.1 million viewers, while December’s Jimmy V Classic Cy-Hawk rivalry matchup delivered 1.0 million viewers.
Season to date, ESPN networks have televised 12 games averaging more than 500,000 viewers — four more than at this point last season — and account for 19 of the top 20 games on cable.
Overall, ESPN networks represent nearly half (48%) of all women’s college basketball live minutes watched this season, more than any other network group.
2025-26 Top Regular Season Women’s College Basketball Games Across ESPN Networks
(Through Feb. 9; rankings reflect AP ranking on date of game)
| Date | Network | Game | Viewers |
| Sun, Feb 8 | ABC | No. 19 Tennessee at No. 3 South Carolina | 1,464,000 |
| Sun, Feb 1 | ABC | No. 10 Oklahoma at No. 4 Texas | 1,102,000 |
| Wed, Dec 10 | ESPN | No. 11 Iowa at No. 10 Iowa State | 1,034,000 |
| Thu, Feb 5 | ESPN | No. 5 LSU at No. 4 Texas | 817,000 |
| Thu, Jan 22 | ESPN | No. 2 South Carolina at No. 16 Oklahoma | 777,000 |
| Fri, Nov 21 | ESPN | No. 11 USC at No. 24 Notre Dame | 639,000 |
| Sun, Jan 25 | ESPN | No. 5 Vanderbilt at No. 2 South Carolina | 621,000 |
| Thu, Jan 15 | ESPN2 | No. 4 Texas at No. 2 South Carolina | 600,000 |
| Thu, Dec 4 | ESPN | No. 3 South Carolina at No. 22 Louisville | 598,000 |
| Thu, Feb 5 | ESPN | No. 17 Duke at No. 6 Louisville | 550,000 |
Men’s basketball
ESPN networks have televised 10 of the top 20 most-watched men’s college basketball games across all networks this season, including three telecasts eclipsing two million viewers.
The first Duke–North Carolina matchup of the season — a 71–68 Tar Heel buzzer-beating victory on Feb. 7 — averaged 3.5 million viewers and peaked at 4.8 million in the closing minutes. The game ranks as ESPN’s most-watched men’s college basketball telecast since Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final home game in 2022 and the second-most watched since 2019. Across all networks, it stands as the third-most watched game of the season and the top game that did not benefit from an NFL game lead in.
On Jan. 31, Kentucky at Arkansas and BYU at Kansas delivered ESPN’s second- and third-most watched games of the season to date. The telecasts were the two most-watched sporting events of the day across all networks.
The Big Monday franchise — a cornerstone of ESPN’s men’s college basketball coverage since 1987 — is also off to a strong 2026 campaign. The Feb. 9 Arizona at Kansas game (1.8M) and Jan. 26 doubleheader featuring Arizona at BYU (1.8M) and Louisville at Duke (1.7M) marked the three most-watched Monday men’s college basketball games on any network in seven years. Through the first three weeks of Big Monday, games are averaging 1.5 million viewers, up 81% YoY.
The 86 games on ESPN alone are averaging 969,000 viewers, up 12% year-over-year and on pace for its best audience in six years.
Overall, ESPN networks account for 45% of all men’s college basketball live minutes watched this season — the largest share of any network group. ESPN also represents the top 19 games on cable, and 29 of the top 30.
2025-26 Top Regular Season Men’s College Basketball Games Across ESPN Networks
(Through Feb. 9; rankings reflect AP ranking on date of game)
| Date | Network | Game | Viewers |
| Sat, Feb 7 | ESPN | No. 4 Duke at No. 11 North Carolina | 3,511,000 |
| Sat, Jan 31 | ESPN | Kentucky at No. 15 Arkansas | 2,393,000 |
| Sat, Jan 31 | ESPN | No. 13 BYU at No. 14 Kansas | 2,105,000 |
| Sat, Dec 13 | ESPN | Indiana at Kentucky | 1,958,000 |
| Tue, Nov 18 | ESPN | No. 24 Kansas vs. No. 5 Duke | 1,874,000 |
| Mon, Feb 9 | ESPN | No. 1 Arizona at No. 9 Kansas | 1,820,000 |
| Sat, Feb 7 | ESPN | No. 25 Tennessee at Kentucky | 1,790,000 |
| Mon, Jan 26 | ESPN | No. 1 Arizona at No. 13 BYU | 1,780,000 |
| Tue, Dec 2 | ESPN | No. 15 Florida at No. 4 Duke | 1,749,000 |
| Mon, Jan 26 | ESPN | No. 20 Louisville at No. 4 Duke | 1,698,000 |
College GameDay
ESPN’s College GameDay Covered by State Farm is also delivering double-digit year-over-year growth.
The first women’s show on Feb. 1 ahead of Oklahoma-Texas, hosted by Christine Williamson alongside analysts Andraya Carter and Chiney Ogwumike, was up 22% over last season’s three-episode average.
Through three episodes, the men’s College GameDay version is pacing up 10% year-over-year. The Jan. 31 episode from Kansas marked the most-watched regular season Saturday morning episode since 2015. Now in its 22nd season, the show is hosted by Rece Davis alongside analysts Jay Bilas, Andraya Carter, Seth Greenberg and Jay Williams, plus reporter Pete Thamel.
