Women's College World Series Draws Massive TV Audience for ABC Broadcast

College softball's growth in recent years was on full display Sunday.

Tennessee celebrates after its Women's College World Series win over UCLA Sunday. / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee's 5–4 win over UCLA in the Women's College World Series Sunday was tremendous entertainment—but it reportedly wasn't just that.

According to a Wednesday morning report from Austin Karp of Sports Business Journal via Richard Deitsch of The Athletic, the Volunteers' victory drew 2.2 million viewers to ABC for its broadcast. That would be the highest figure for any game in the tournament since 2015.

Tennessee won the game on a walk-off single from shortstop Laure Mealer in the ninth inning; that followed a controversial game-tying two-run home run in the seventh from Bruins first baseman Megan Grant.

The Volunteers advanced to the semifinals of the bracket after beating UCLA, where they lost 2–0 to Texas. The Longhorns and Texas Tech are scheduled to open the final series Wednesday evening in Oklahoma City.

The record for most-watched Women's College World Series game is held, incidentally, by Tennessee and Arizona. The Wildcats shut out the Volunteers 5–0 in Game 3 to win the 2007 national title before a TV audience of 2.3 million.

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