Nebraska’s landmark women’s volleyball match signifies a powerful statement for the future of women’s sports

A historic moment unfolded at Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium with a record-breaking attendance of 92,003 for a women’s volleyball match between the No. 4-ranked Nebraska team and Omaha. This remarkable turnout shattered records for women’s sporting events and set a new high for attendance in any collegiate volleyball match, be it men’s or women’s.

While Nebraska football boasts an exceptional fanbase with a 390-game sellout streak dating back to 1962, the volleyball game surpassed even the highest attendance figures for Cornhusker football.

This isn’t an isolated incident in women’s sports; women’s volleyball has consistently outperformed men’s volleyball in terms of viewership. The 2023 women’s championship game drew 1.19 million viewers, while the men’s game had 143,000 viewers, both airing on ESPN 2.

This trend extends beyond volleyball. The NCAA women’s basketball championship game in 2023 saw an average of 9.92 million viewers, its highest-ever mark and the most-viewed college event on ESPN+. In contrast, the men’s championship game, though averaging more viewers at 14.7 million, marked a record low, continuing a recent decline in men’s basketball viewership.

This shift toward increased viewership in women’s sports is also apparent at the professional level. The WNBA experienced its highest viewership in over two decades, with an average of 556,184 viewers per game, up 67% from 2022. Meanwhile, the NBA has faced declining viewership over the past four seasons, reaching its lowest point in 2020-21 with an average of only 1.31 million viewers.

Even the U.S. Women’s National Soccer team broke records during the 2023 World Cup group play, averaging 6.43 million viewers in their 1-1 draw against the Netherlands, surpassing the previous record of 5.26 million in 2019.

These figures underscore the promising future of women’s sports in the United States. As men’s viewership decreases and women’s viewership rises, women’s sports are gaining the recognition they deserve. The past year has demonstrated that Americans are increasingly tuning in to women’s sports, and there’s a growing appetite for more, provided they receive a larger platform.