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Clark, Iowa claim another record with most-viewed first-round game in women's NCAA tourney history

Clark, Iowa claim another record with most-viewed first-round game in women's NCAA tourney history
ALL RIGHT, SCOTT, GET BACK TO WORK. WE’LL SEE YOU IN A LITTLE BIT. WELL TONIGHT’S GAME ALSO MARKS THE END OF AN ERA FOR HAWKEYE FANS. THAT’S RIGHT vlog OPHELIA JACOBSON IS IN IOWA CITY WITH HOW FANS ARE FEELING ABOUT SEEING CAITLIN CLARK PLAY AT CARVER HAWKEYE ONE LAST TIME. IT WAS A RAINY DAY HERE IN IOWA CITY, BUT THAT DIDN’T STOP HAWKEYE FANS FROM SHOWING UP TO WATCH CAITLIN CLARK PLAY ONE LAST TIME AT CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA ON A TYPICAL WOMEN’S BASKETBALL GAME DAY. OH, THERE WE GO. THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS LEADING UP TO TIP OFF ARE HARD TO MISS. THE SIGHT OF A SWARM OF BLACK AND GOLD DESCENDING ON THE ARENA IN THE SOUND OF TICKETS BEING SCANNED FILL THE AIR, BUT MONDAY’S GAME WAS NO TYPICAL ONE. INSTEAD, IT WAS A FEELING IN THE AIR. IT’S SAD. IT’S BITTERSWEET. THAT WAS HARD TO MISS AS FANS FLOCKED TO THE ARENA TO SEE CAITLIN CLARK PLAY HER LAST HOME GAME. I’M SAD, PROBABLY BECAUSE SHE SHE IT’S HER FINAL HOME GAME. IT MAKES ME A LITTLE SAD, BUT ALSO REALLY HAPPY FOR HER. IT FEELS REALLY SAD, BUT I’M EXCITED TO SEE HER HAVE SOME AWESOME SHOTS. PEOPLE KNEW THAT THIS WOULD BE THEIR LAST TICKET TO WATCH NUMBER 22 ON THE COURT, AND TO THANK HER. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING WOMEN’S SPORT TO THE FOREFRONT FOR EVERYONE. THING SHE’S DONE FROM PUTTING IOWA ON THE MAP. SHE’S A STAR EVERYWHERE FOR THE WHOLE WORLD. THAT’S AWESOME. AND NOW THEY KNOW WHERE IOWA IS. SO IT’S NICE TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT’S LIKE FROM IOWA THAT PEOPLE RECOGNIZE TO INSPIRE YOUNG GIRLS AND BOYS TO SHOOT BIG. SHE CAN HIT EVERY SHOT SHE MAKES WHEN WHEN IT’S OPEN THE THREE POINT LINE AND DREAM BIG, OKAY? LIKE, OH, I WANT TO BE LIKE JORDAN. NO, I WANT TO BE LIKE CAITLIN. LIKE, IT’S KIND OF COOL TO LIKE, JUST TO THINK OF THAT, ESPECIALLY BEING FROM IOWA, THERE’S NO DOUBT THAT CAITLIN CLARK EFFECT IS HERE TO STAY. EVEN IF THE CAITLIN CLARK CHAPTER IS CLOSING HERE IN IOWA CITY. IN IOWA CITY, OPHELIA JACOBS
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Clark, Iowa claim another record with most-viewed first-round game in women's NCAA tourney history
Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes can claim another record — the most-viewed first-round game in women's NCAA Tournament history.Related video above: "Bittersweet night" in Iowa City for Caitlin Clark's last home game The Hawkeyes' 91-65 win over Holy Cross on Saturday averaged 3.23 million viewers on ABC, according to Nielsen. The viewership surpassed the 2.50 million who watched last year's Elite Eight game between Iowa and Louisville, making this the most-viewed women's tournament game ever — excluding Final Four contests and title games.It was the third Iowa game this season where the viewer average was over 3 million. The seven Iowa games on network television — ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox — have averaged 2.27 million. Iowa's regional semifinal game against Colorado on Saturday will be on ABC.According to ESPN, 1.5 billion total minutes were viewed on television and streaming platforms during the first round. That is the most on record in women's tournament history and a 70% increase over last year.Connecticut's game against Jackson State, which preceded the Iowa contest, averaged 1.1 million on ABC, the third-most viewed first-round game on record.Defending champion LSU's win over Rice on Friday averaged 762,400 on ESPN, making it the most-watched weekday first-round game on record.

Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes can claim another record — the most-viewed first-round game in women's NCAA Tournament history.

Related video above: "Bittersweet night" in Iowa City for Caitlin Clark's last home game

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The Hawkeyes' 91-65 win over Holy Cross on Saturday averaged 3.23 million viewers on ABC, according to Nielsen. The viewership surpassed the 2.50 million who watched last year's Elite Eight game between Iowa and Louisville, making this the most-viewed women's tournament game ever — excluding Final Four contests and title games.

It was the third Iowa game this season where the viewer average was over 3 million. The seven Iowa games on network television — ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox — have averaged 2.27 million. Iowa's regional semifinal game against Colorado on Saturday will be on ABC.

According to ESPN, 1.5 billion total minutes were viewed on television and streaming platforms during the first round. That is the most on record in women's tournament history and a 70% increase over last year.

Connecticut's game against Jackson State, which preceded the Iowa contest, averaged 1.1 million on ABC, the third-most viewed first-round game on record.

Defending champion LSU's win over Rice on Friday averaged 762,400 on ESPN, making it the most-watched weekday first-round game on record.