Does anyone actually watch womens basketball?

I should have added that this game is more exciting than the Xavier Pitt game even if the quality isn't.

This is a dumb comment. Shiffrin's skis are her equipment and that is very different from the field of play. A proper analogy would be if Shiffrin were made to wear size 15 sneakers or a men's XL jersey -- not made to use longer skis. Both men and women ski on the same slope and both men and women play on the same basketball court with the same rims. However, women do use a smaller ball than men so that is similar to lowering the hurdles in track to account for smaller bodies. Women's soccer plays on the same sized field with the same lines and the same sized goals despite women being smaller. That is a better comp than skiing.

You cannot be serious if you think women's tennis is better than men's tennis. It most definitely is not. It is popular and entertaining but it is played at a much lower level, which explains why women still only play 3 sets at the Grand Slams. Tennis knows that 5-set women's matches would take forever and be ridiculously boring. The only real stars in women's tennis are the Williams sisters and they are basically retired. Other than diehard tennis fans, nobody is paying up to watch Swiatek play (or even knows who she is).

To the OP's comment, yes, it is a joke that CBS and ESPN shove WBB down our throats despite clearly very little interest in it (hence, why NCAAT games have home games that don't even sell out). WBB is a massive money pit for colleges because they have been bullied into massively overpaying for coaches who preside over teams that lose their schools millions of dollars each year (as opposed to MBB teams, which make millions of dollars each year). I don't know the stats for 2022/23 but it used to be that UConn and Tennessee were the only women's teams that broke even or eked out a profit with the rest blowing millions on bloated coaching contracts and 1st class travel like the men enjoy. WBB has to be the only profession where someone can demand (and get) a seven figure salary with the full knowledge that he or she will be running an enterprise guaranteed to lose millions of dollars each year.

There's no quality in Pitt v x game now. It's a freaking ft contest. Worst strategy in sports.

there so many idiots here who honestly pretend women are as athletic as men. well if they really believe this we only need one category. This is what i support either way. equal opportunity. strong queens can show their skill against men.

Most games devolve into free throw shooting. Xavier does break the press well. I enjoy their offense. Miller is a great coach. I personally don't enjoy the way the South Carolina women play but the first half was exciting.

Men's b-ball can count their tournament TV contract money into their revenue, because it is distributed to each conference.

Women's b-ball does not count a single penny from their TV contract, because it is part of the multi-sports package (where women's b-ball is the biggest moneymaker), and the entire revenue belongs to NCAA as a whole. That ESPN contract is also grossly undervalued because it includes so many sports that lose money for the network.

Did anyone mention "empty stands"?

All of those seats were sold and obviously are held by UK/KSU fans who don't show up to the tip-off of the first game. If you ever have been to a game in the first three rounds of an NCAAT game, you would know this (particularly UK fans who travel everywhere and hit the bars for the first game). Compare this to the home games at the WBBT that have not sold out and which are being played in empty arenas of the home team.

Sure, the skis were just a quick (not perfect example). But they do reset the gates and set the slalom differently for women vs. the men. The point still stands.

If I flip on the TV and it is the US women's soccer team playing Germany, Mikaela Shiffrin skiing, Katy Ledecky swimming, women's gymnastics, women's US Open tennis, or a women's speed skating World Cup race, I don't think, "oh, this is boring."

The sexists say, "but they are not going the same speed" but I personally don't really care. The sport, to my untrained eyes is still great. I am in it for the competition. Nonetheless, basketball always looks like something is missing when I watch women plan. It feels off to me.

Women's basketball would be more dynamic if they were playing "around the rim" like the men do. By lowering the hoop to 9'4 (or whatever the fair height is), you would add a fun and explosive aspect to the women's game. That's just a fact. I understand that some people don't care or will never watch women's sports, but I like most women's sports as much as men's... except basketball. But that's just me, I guess.

That's your opinion, not a fact.

You mean, it's like most people at Gampel Pavilion yesterday went home after the UConn game, and missed an exciting 18 pts comeback by Baylor against Alabama?

No. Meant exactly what I wrote. That showing empty seats (which now are all full if you are watching the UK game) at the start of the first game and implying that there was little interest/demand was intentionally and highly misleading. If the reverse happened at Storrs (full stadium for first game and then everyone left for the 2nd game), I have no comment on. However, there clearly are WBBT games that had mostly empty stadiums for BOTH games even though there was a real home team that couldn't sell tickets.

You're both right. When Indiana played the stands looked packed; as soon as it was over the stands looked empty. But many women's teams can't fill their own arenas for their own games. It's a shame because many games are good and the product is getting better.

No, I mean there would factually be another dimension of play (vertically around the rim, since the rim would be "reachable" for the players). That is the fact I was talking about.

I do agree with you that this vertical play is not everyone's cup of tea. But based on Sports Center top-10 plays, most (but not all) fans of basketball games like the vertical game too. It is another dynamic option for players.

I agree that "liking it" is an opinion. But it is not an opinion that dunking and rim blocks are a dynamic part of the game. And this is largely lacking from women's basketball.

The UConn women’s home game tomorrow against Baylor is sold out.

Most of the "empty seats" you see on TV are either people going home after their home team played the first game, or people not showing up before their home team played the second game of the day.

Which home team played in an empty arena?

The majority of college sports teams don’t make money. Even football programs often lose money considering how big the teams are, the travel, and equipment expenses. Not sure what you’re trying to say with this post.

Yes, obviously? My FB feed is full of people posting from the women’s game today. Helps that our women’s team is really good and playing at home, but plenty of people tune in.

What else is there to do in Connecticut