'Women are getting paid and they're playing their favourite sport': Recent women’s sports shattering viewing records
March Madness comes to a close this weekend, and this year on the women’s side, it’s been a ratings blockbuster.
Much of this year’s excitement comes from one superstar in particular, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark.
In an interview with CTV’s Todd Battis on Friday, Ellen Hyslop, co-founder of “The Gist,” a female-led media company covering sports, said a game with Clark on Monday shattered records.
“Iowa and Caitlin Clark when they played LSU and Angel Reese on Monday night in the Elite 8 set records with 12.3 million people tuning into that Elite 8, it’s a record for college women’s hoops, a record for men’s hoops,” said Hyslop.
“More people tuned into that game than any NBA, NHL or MLB game of all of last year, so if you don’t know Caitlin Clark’s name, you do now.”
Overcoming a loss in last year’s March Madness final to that same LSU Tigers team, Iowa has been considered the favourite this year.
“I think a lot of people are rooting for Caitlyn Clark in her senior year to go home with the victory, but it’s going to be really tough,” said Hyslop.
The finals are set, and Iowa will be up against South Carolina on Sunday, which has been one of the teams to watch out for.
“South Carolina is undefeated for the entire season so a lot of people are predicting that Iowa is going to end up playing South Carolina and that could be just such a fun game for all of us to watch.”
Also shattering records has been the Professional Women’s Hockey League.
“Yes, the PWHL is breaking records left, right, and centre. I think what’s so cool is we’re seeing them partner with a lot of NHL teams and a lot of NHL stadiums and they’ve been able to play in these arenas and set records,” said Hyslop.
She adds an upcoming game is already set to be a record breaker.
“We’re going to see PWHL Toronto face off against PWHL Montreal, that game sold out in minutes, so there’s going to be 21,000 people tuning in, it’s going to set another world record for professional women’s hockey,” she said.
Previously there was the CWHL in Canada, which was a non-profit model. That league folded in March 2019, which meant Canadian female hockey players had to go to the U.S. in order to play professionally.
There was also the Premier Hockey Federation in Canada, which came to a close in 2023.
Many players did not want to go south to play, leading to the creation of PWHPA, which became the PWHL four years later.
Hyslop says it’s good to see a female hockey league finally getting the recognition it deserves.
“I think it’s just a long time coming, they have been waiting for over four years for this PWHL sustainable, cross-border league to happen, and women are getting paid and playing their favourite sport,” said Hyslop.
With files from CTV's Todd Battis.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Serial sexual offender linked to unsolved 1970s homicides of four Calgary girls, women
An investigation into unsolved historical homicides from the 1970s has linked the deaths of two girls and two young women in and around Calgary to a now-deceased serial offender.
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
Video appears to show Sean 'Diddy' Combs beating singer Cassie in hotel hallway in 2016
Security video aired by CNN appears to show Sean 'Diddy' Combs physically assaulting singer Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016.
Scottie Scheffler isn't the first pro golfer to be arrested during a tournament
Scottie Scheffler's arrest hours before his second-round tee time at the PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky, will go down as one of the most shocking in professional golf history. It certainly wasn't the first, though.
B.C. man 'attacked suddenly' by adult grizzly near Alberta border: RCMP
A B.C. man is recovering from multiple injuries after he was "attacked suddenly" by an adult grizzly bear near Elkford Thursday afternoon.
Anglers reel in 3.5-metre-long tiger shark off coast of Florida: 'She found my bait'
A group of fishers said it took roughly 20 minutes to reel in this 3.5-metre-long tiger shark off the coast of Florida.
Canadian convicted of attacking Nancy Pelosi's husband with a hammer sentenced to 30 years
The man convicted of attempting to kidnap then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and attacking her husband with a hammer was sentenced Friday to 30 years in prison.
NEW What a wildfire survivor says she regrets not grabbing before leaving home
Carol Christian had 15 minutes to evacuate her home during the Fort McMurray wildfires in 2016. She ended up losing the house and everything inside. Now, she wants to share the lessons she learned.
World No. 1 golfer charged with police officer assault before PGA Championship second round
World number one golfer Scottie Scheffler was arrested and charged with the assault of a police officer in what he called a 'chaotic situation' before being released in time to start his second round at the PGA Championship on Friday.