The emergence of breakout women’s basketball players like Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers has fueled a new fire in the sport’s popularity across both collegiate and professional levels. The sudden rise in women’s sports viewership is expanding and redefining what it means to be a fan of women’s sports while also highlighting the distinct role of fan loyalty.
The 2025 March Madness women’s basketball championship averaged 8.5 million viewers on ABC. Concurrently, the Women’s National Basketball Association saw record viewership in 2025, with an average of 1.3 million viewers per game on ESPN.
For Florida State senior guard Sydney Bowles, genuine interactions with fans in women’s basketball strengthen loyalty and encourage those fans to come back.
“Energies can shift when you have a really good fanbase, whether you have a bunch of people or your loyal fanbase,” Bowles said in an interview with the FSView. “There are definitely faces that we remember all the time, and you have fans that will travel, and the support makes a difference.”
One of those consistent faces is junior Caitlin Heim, who believes women’s sports fans demonstrate a distinct loyalty to the sport compared to the fan behavior of mainstream sports, such as football.
“With football, there are tailgates and all your friends are going, so you are pushed to go not because you necessarily want to but because there is so much set up for you,” Heim said in an interview with the FSView. “With women’s basketball, you’re not getting these freebies, you’re going to the game because you want to be there.”
Sports and their significance fosters fan loyalty
Many fans, like sophomore Hanna Crouse, believe fan loyalty stems from supporting both the sport and what it represents — equality and athletic excellence. Crouse contributes to women’s basketball both on and off campus by coaching at camps and mentoring younger players. She founded Florida State’s first women’s club basketball team.
“Women have had to push and advocate to get us to the level of competition we are at today,” Crouse said to the FSView. “We have a different respect for the sport because of how much more we have had to do on and off the court to thrive.”
Women’s and men’s athletics at FSU and beyond
Fan loyalty to the Seminoles women’s team and other programs across the country contributes to a continuous push forward for resources for the team. During the Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament in 2021, this support meant more than ever as FSU’s women’s squad saw a major disparity in resource allocation compared to the men’s team.
In the weight room, the men’s team had the luxury of full-blown gym equipment while the women received minor dumbbells. This imbalance is just one example highlighting why fan support fuels the push for better treatment and growth of the game.
Senior Yasmina Toumi, who shared the basketball court with the late Gianna Bryant in California, has an extremely sentimental view on the sport. Toumi, who has since moved to Florida and now attends FSU, strives to create a community with fellow ’Noles fans.
“A lot of my friends growing up weren’t into sports. Women’s basketball wasn’t something I could bond with people over,” Toumi said in an interview with the FSView. “It’s cool to see in college how that’s changed and how I have friends that are into it and it’s something we can talk about.”
Many believe women’s sports receive less viewership due to differences in athletic prowess compared to men. This has led to many programs focusing on recruiting breakout stars. Bueckers, a former University of Connecticut guard and recent college basketball star, drew tons of attention to the program during her tenure as a Huskie.
Similarly, Men’s basketball has shifted its focus to featuring more entertainment-driven play that draws on crowd energy to stay engaged. In contrast, women’s basketball emphasizes in-the-paint play and team dynamics.
For the FSU women’s basketball team, this means playing with a style that focuses on ball handling and sharing touches, showcasing strategy and team chemistry.
“In men’s basketball, you see guys dunking or throwing alley-oops at each other,” Heim said. “With women’s basketball, you have more of a respect for it because they stick to the fundamentals and you’re watching good team basketball.”
These fan perspectives echo the flourishing community surrounding women’s basketball. The environment curates an engaging experience for fans and players alike. For many like Crouse and Toumi, being a women’s basketball fan is more than coming to games. It’s something that entails supporting a community of women with passion, drive and loyalty.
Emily Montarroyos is a Staff Writer for the FSView & Florida Flambeau, the student-run, independent online news service for the FSU community. Email our staff at contact@fsview.com.
This article originally appeared on FSU News: Women’s sports viewership is on the rise, fueled by loyal fans
Reporting by Emily Montarroyos, Staff Writer, FSView / FSU News
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