Softball On SI

2025 NCAA Softball Super Regionals: Tennessee vs. Nebraska Draws Record Viewership, 4th Most-Watched of All Time

Allison Smith|
The Tennessee softball team does a cheer with Tennessee softball head coach Karen Weekly after winning a NCAA super regionals softball game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers and advancing to the Women's College World Series at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on May 25, 2025. Tennessee won 1-0 against Nebraska.
The Tennessee softball team does a cheer with Tennessee softball head coach Karen Weekly after winning a NCAA super regionals softball game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers and advancing to the Women's College World Series at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on May 25, 2025. Tennessee won 1-0 against Nebraska. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 2025 NCAA Softball Super Regional games delivered not only in high flying plays, dynamic strikeouts, and softballs blasted over the fence, but also in record viewership.

ESPN PR recently reported the three most watched Super Regional matchups were between Liberty and Oregon, Oklahoma and Alabama, and Tennessee and Nebraska. The pitchers duel between Lady Vol ace and Softball America's Pitcher of the Year Karlyn Pickens and recently named NFCA Player of the Year, Jordy Bahl drew record numbers with 994,000 views, making it the fourth-best super regional game in history.

Nebraska's Jordyn Bahl (98) pitches during a NCAA super regionals softball game against Tennessee on May 25, 2025.
Nebraska's Jordyn Bahl (98) pitches during a NCAA super regionals softball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Nebraska Cornhuskers at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on May 25, 2025. Tennessee won 1-0 against Nebraska. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee seems to have a way of making history on the diamond. As the most watched Super Regional game occurred in 2024 during the second game of the series between Tennessee and Alabama. The SEC rivalry averaged 1.1 million viewers on ESPN, the most-watched Regional or Super Regional softball game on record for ESPN platforms.

Tennessee softball pitcher Karlyn Pickens throws a pitch during the 2024 Tennessee Super Regional matchup against Alabama.
Tennessee softball pitcher Karlyn Pickens throws a pitch during the 2024 Tennessee Super Regional matchup against SEC rival Alabama. | Getty Images

More News: Viewership Soars: ESPN’s Top 3 2025 NCAA Softball Regional Games Pull 492K Viewers

More News: Tennessee Softball's Karlyn Pickens Sets NCAA Record With Fastest Pitch in Softball History-Again

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Allison Smith
ALLISON SMITH

Allison Smith is an expert in leadership and organizational behavior in collegiate and professional women’s sports. Smith is a professor (Georgia State University), researcher, and writer. Smith holds a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee in Kinesiology and Sport Studies. Smith’s research centers on combatting the underrepresentation of women leaders in sport, lack of organizational structure for work life integration for sport employees, and lack of programming and oversight for preparing athletes to transition to life after sport. Since graduating with a bachelor’s in journalism in 2011, Smith has sought opportunities to write about sports as a contributing writer focused on the growth of women’s collegiate, Olympic, and professional sports in this new age and movement for multiple outlets including Athletic Director U, and now Forbes.com. As a former Division I and II pitcher and Division III pitching coach Smith will bring unique insight and expertise to Softball on SI.

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