Angel Reese accused Little Girls of racism after the NCAA Final Four saw a staggering 71% drop in viewership compared to 2023 – a loss of more than 10 million viewers.
By the Black and White Sports editorial team
The 2024 NCAA Women’s Finals are in the books—but this year’s tournament wasn’t remembered for its buzzer-beaters or performances. Instead, it was defined by a shocking 71% drop in viewership compared to 2023’s record-breaking numbers… and an even more shocking response from one of the biggest names in women’s basketball.
After the numbers came in showing a loss of over 10 million viewers , Chicago Sky rookie and former LSU star Angel Reese didn’t point to the quality of the games or the lack of star power. Instead, she called out what she believes to be a root cause:
“You only watched it until last year because of the white girls. Let’s keep it real. It’s racism, plain and simple.”
Yeah. She said that.
The drop heard “in the hoops world
In 2023, the NCAA women’s tournament was a cultural moment . Over 18 million viewers tuned in to see Caitlin Clark lead Iowa to the championship game against Reese’s LSU Tigers in one of the most electric games in recent memory. Trash talk. Ban. Power star. It had it all—and it showed.
Fast forward to 2024, and the same juice just wasn’t there. Even with elite teams, highly skilled players, and Angel Reese in the spotlight, the audience fell off a cliff— down to about 5.3 million .
That’s more than 10 million fewer people watching.
Blame the fans? Or blame the product?
Reese wasted no time interacting, and instead of burdening him with competition, planning, or perhaps Fan’s fatigue, she focused on the race.
“The little girls didn’t watch because it wasn’t them anymore. When it’s us in the front, they turn off the television. We see it every time.”
But here’s the thing: This kind of story won’t land well when launched without accountability.
Was the tournament as compelling without the Clark-Reese showdown? Maybe not.
Was the media coverage as relentless this time? Certainly not.
Was the product still strong? Sure, but were there any casual fans locked in? Clearly not.
Facts about feelings
Let’s take a step back. The 2023 tournament wasn’t watched simply because Caitlin Clark is white. It captivated viewers because the matches were elite, the personalities were engaging, and a rivalry captured the nation’s attention. This was, above all, basketball, not identity politics.
And that’s the problem with Angel Reese’s stance. Instead of acknowledging that this tournament didn’t offer the same highlights—or that the marketing and matches simply didn’t appeal to fans in the same way—she chose to play the race card and cast a shadow over an entire audience.
