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 Final Four is in the books—but this year’s tournament wasn’t remembered for buzzer-beaters or highlight-reel performances. Instead, it was defined by a shocking 71% drop in viewership compared to record-breaking 2023 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:
“Y’all only watched it last year because of the white girls. Let’s keep it real. This is racism, plain and simple.”
Yeah. She said that.
The drop heard ‘around 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. Braggadocio. Star power. 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, viewership 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 calling him out on the competition, planning, or perhaps fan fatigue, she focused on the race.
“The little girls didn’t watch because it wasn’t them anymore. When we’re in the front, they turn off the TV. We see it every time.”
But here’s the thing: this kind of narrative won’t land well when it’s thrown out without accountability.
Would the tournament have been as compelling without a Clark-Reese showdown? Maybe not.
Was the media coverage as relentless this time? Certainly not.
Was the product still strong? Sure – but were casual fans locked in? Clearly not.
Facts about feelings
Let’s take a step back. The 2023 tournament wasn’t I just watched because Caitlin Clark is white. It was watched because the matches were elite , the personalities were engaging, and there was a rivalry that captivated the nation. It was basketball first , not identity politics .
And that’s the problem with Reese’s take. Instead of owning the fact that this tournament didn’t deliver the same sizzle—or that the marketing and matches simply didn’t attract fans in the same way—she chose to play the race card and throw shade at an entire audience.
