You were glued to Monday’s 2024 WNBA Draft, featuring standout college basketball players like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Cameron Brink.

The draft pulled in a record-breaking 2.446 million viewers, marking an astonishing 307 percent increase from last year.

The previous highest viewership was in 2004 during Diana Taurasi’s draft, with 601,000 viewers. Last year’s draft averaged 572,000 viewers on ESPN, showing a 42 percent rise from 2022 and the highest since 2004.

The NBA and NFL drafts typically attract large viewership due to well-known college players like Zion Williamson and star skill position players such as Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa. Even when the top picks are anticipated, the presence of recognizable names drives interest.

In this WNBA Draft, there was an abundance of players with name recognition, with Caitlin Clark serving as a clear draw for viewers. The draft’s momentum has never been stronger, contributing to its heightened appeal.

South Carolina’s 87-75 victory over Iowa on April 7 garnered an average of 18.9 million viewers, making it the most-watched women’s college basketball game ever and the most-viewed college basketball game (men’s or women’s) on any ESPN platform. This audience marked a 90 percent increase from the 2023 national championship and a staggering 289 percent rise from 2022. The game reached its peak viewership of 24 million during the final 15 minutes on ABC and ESPN.

The 2024 NCAA Women’s Final Four set a new record with an average of 13.8 million viewers, including 14.4 million for Iowa-UConn, the second-most-watched women’s college game on record, and 7.2 million for NC State versus South Carolina. The tournament as a whole, comprising 57 games across ESPN platforms, averaged 2.2 million viewers, a significant 121 percent increase from 2023.

This marked the most-watched women’s NCAA Tournament since ESPN gained exclusive rights in 1996.