UNC Benefits From Women’s Basketball Rise in Success, Popularity

There’s no question that North Carolina fans love Tar Heel basketball, no matter if it’s the men's or women's. But with the women coming off a successful season where they went 29-8 and a Sweet 16 appearance, its second in the last five seasons.

However, last year was unique. North Carolina was a Top 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament and hosted the first two rounds at Carmichael Arena as a third seed. Carolina won both games to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2022, and head coach Courtney Banghart credited the fans for creating a raucous environment.

Mar 28, 2025; Birmingham, AL, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Courtney Banghart signals in to her team during the Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament basketball game against the Duke Blue Devils at Legacy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

“The fact that the NCAA lets you host if you’re a top 16 seed is an incredible reward for the fan bases that have invested in your program," North Carolina head coach Courtney Banghart said. "Because that place (Carmichael Arena), you couldn’t get a ticket, it was literally jammed full for all the games, and there’s something different about a win-or-go-home game, and that’s so rare to have at home. And our fans just showed up, and I felt like we were giving back to a group that had really lifted us into this light…”

Head coach Courtney Banghart at the 2025 ACC Tipoff | Nell Redmond/theACC.com

Carolina Benefits from the Surging Popularity in Women’s Basketball

Women’s basketball has grown over the years due to the popularity of players such as Cameron Brink, Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese coming through the college ranks in the last few seasons. Clark, however, has been the one to dominate the TV ratings due to her playmaking and sharpshooting abilities, bringing in casual fans that otherwise wouldn’t have watched the product.

Even though Clark left college basketball for the WNBA after the 2023-24 season, the viewership remains strong and it actually increased last season

According to ESPN, the 2024–25 NCAA women’s basketball regular season averaged 280,000 viewers across 87 games on ESPN networks (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU), marking a 3% increase from last year and the highest average since the 2008–09 season.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, who was a star player at Iowa from 2020-2024, led to the rise of women's college basketball in the last few seasons. | Grace Smith / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

ABC and ESPN, which have the widest reach, saw the largest increases in viewership. The three games aired on ABC averaged 1.3 million viewers—a 120% jump over the six ABC games from last year.

ESPN averaged 511,000 viewers across 28 games—a 13% increase compared to the 27 games it broadcast last season.

Carolina players have acknowledged that they are now being recognized on Franklin Street, something that was new to them.

UNC — Mar 28, 2025; Birmingham, AL, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Courtney Banghart works with guard Reniya Kelly (10) during the Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament basketball game against the Duke Blue Devils at Legacy Arena. | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

“I think it's so many different people who come and watch us play, and they all use their voice in a unique way,” UNC guard Reniya Kelly said. “I love our fans. We just be walking on Franklin and be, like, hey, oh, my gosh, you're the basketball team. It's such an engaged community, and I love that about Carmichael.”

UNC guard Indya Nivar said similar things about the energy and support UNC fans bring.

“The support that they give us is on and off the court, from our donors to our students, to the people that we just meet from seeing them so often in the crowds,” Nivar said. “They just make the environment something that, like, I love to play in.”

UNC — Mar 22, 2024; Columbia, SC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Indya Nivar (24) reacts to a play against the Michigan State Spartans in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

As UNC women’s basketball continues to grow its fan base, head coach Courtney Banghart shared a moment that reminded her just how deeply the Carolina community connects with her players — not just as athletes, but as people.

There was a guy who came in. He's a new donor to our program, and he circled off of practice,” Kelly said. He said, “My wife and I got season tickets,” and then she sort of fell ill with some Alzheimer's and started to not know who he was. He said it very genuinely, and he says, but she knew who Reniya Kelly was, right?

UNC basketball | Matt Giles-North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

“I think that that sort of characterizes the fans,” Banghart continued. “They actually are rooting not just for Carolina. They are rooting for the success of the people that are wearing the jersey. I think that passion is felt.”

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