Latest news with #NCAAWomen'sBasketballChampionship
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
YouTube Climbs to Record 12.4% Share of TV Viewing in April
YouTube continues to dominate the field for the majority of audiences' time spent watching television, accounting for 12.4% of the total for the month of April. The figure marks its largest share of TV to date, as well as the third consecutive month topping Nielsen's Media Distributor Gauge. April also marks the first time that the company rankings stayed exactly the same month-over-month. Holding onto the second place spot was Disney with a total of 10.7% of TV time spent, partly driven by cross-network coverage of the NFL Draft, the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship and the first round of the NBA Playoffs. It also owned the month's top streaming title, 'Grey's Anatomy,' which generated 3.9 billion viewing minutes and benefited from its multichannel and multiplatform availability. Paramount claimed third place with 8.9% of TV time and saw the largest monthly share increase among the media companies tracked, with viewership gains from CBS' broadcast affiliates driving over half of the media giant's growth. Rounding out the top five was NBCUniversal, which grew to an 8.2% share, and Netflix, which posted an 7.5% share. Fox claimed sixth with a share of 6.8%, while Warner Bros. Discovery took seventh, maintaining a 6.7% share boosted by a 58% bump in TNT viewership due to the NBA playoffs as well as HBO's 'The White Lotus' generating 3.7 billion viewing minutes as the second most-watched streaming title in April. The remainder of the list included Amazon with a 3.5% share, The Roku Channel with a 2.4% share, Scripps with a 2.1% share, Weigel Broadcasting with a 1.3% share, A+E Networks with a 1.1% share, Hallmark with a 1% share and AMC Networks with a 0.9% share. The post YouTube Climbs to Record 12.4% Share of TV Viewing in April appeared first on TheWrap.
CBS News
06-04-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Philadelphia students cheer for Dawn Staley after learning from her journey
As the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship tipped off Sunday night, a group of Philadelphia-area girls gathered at a Nicetown watch party — not only to cheer on University of South Carolina Coach Dawn Staley's Gamecocks, but also to celebrate lessons they've learned from the hometown hero. "Commitment — commitment for sure," said 16-year-old Sydney Marshall about what she's learned from Staley's journey. The party marked the final event of a six-week workshop called The Game Plan, Shaleah Laché Sutton, founder and president of Teach Black Girls and Serena Saunders, of PassionArt Design House . The program was designed for Black girls to explore personal growth through the lens of basketball and the life of Staley — a coach and athlete who's shattered glass ceilings in the sport. Laché Sutton said they wanted to show the young women just how many barriers Staley has broken. "She just is working in a male-dominated sport, and she continues to make history at all costs," Laché Sutton said. "As a coach and a player, she's a champion in both realms. And most people aren't that, especially as a woman … especially as a Black woman." "There's all these great teachable moments through the art of basketball," said co-facilitator Serena Saunders. "There's discipline, there's practice, there's teamwork, there's leadership." Throughout the program, the girls studied the values that have guided Staley's career. "I've learned about her compassion, her character," said 16-year-old Raniya Wescott. During halftime of the championship game, 13-year-old Jihan Thomas-Willingham took to the court herself, dribbling a basketball in front of her peers. Her takeaway? "Communication, dedication and commitment," she said. While Staley's team fell short of a championship win this year , the girls said they're walking away with lessons that will stick with them long after the final buzzer. "Just stay true to yourself," Marshall said.
Forbes
04-04-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
How Togethxr's ‘Everyone Watches Women's Sports' Is Changing The Game
Togethxr cofounders Alex Morgan, Chloe Kim, Simone Manuel and Sue Bird—alongside media executive ... More Jessica Robertson—are leading a movement that's redefining women's sports, proving that Everyone Watches Women's Sports is more than a slogan—it's a cultural shift. 'No one watches women's sports' has long been a common narrative among mainstream media. A few short years ago, women's sports felt like an afterthought tucked behind men's leagues in media coverage and sidelined in sponsorships, treated more like a charity case than a cultural force. Games were played in half-empty arenas, and broadcast deals were minimal. But today, that narrative has been shattered. The stadiums are packed. The ratings are climbing, and a new generation of athletes and fans are rewriting the rules. At the forefront of this cultural shift is Togethxr, a media and commerce brand founded by four global sports stars—Alex Morgan, Chloe Kim, Simone Manuel and Sue Bird—who teamed up with sports media veteran Jessica Robertson. These leaders didn't just observe the change; they helped ignite it with a simple, powerful mantra: Everyone Watches Women's Sports. 'It just felt like the right anthem,' Robertson states about the mantra, 'the right slogan for women's sports, the right attitude at the right time, and it's become not just now our company slogan and mantra, which we've carried through for the last couple of years, but this unifying anthem across all of sports.' The slogan was born from a revelation during the 2023 NCAA Women's Final Four in Dallas. 'That year broke audience and attendance records,' Robertson recalled. 'We looked at each other and said, 'You can't say no one watches women's sports anymore.' One of our colleagues replied, 'No—everyone watches women's sports.'' What started as an internal company mantra has grown into a cultural phenomenon that challenges outdated narratives and embraces women's sports for what they are: culturally relevant, exciting and good business. Togethxr's mission has resonated beyond words. Over the past year, women's sports have shattered viewership records. The 2024 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship (March Madness) final between South Carolina and Iowa drew a record-breaking 18.9 million viewers, the most-watched college basketball game (men's or women's) on ESPN platforms, and the first time a women's final exceeded the men's in viewership. WNBA attendance rose by over 16%, and media coverage has expanded significantly, driven by fan demand and athlete star power. This momentum is only building as anticipation swells for this year's Women's March Madness Final Four tipping off tonight, with players like Paige Bueckers (UConn) and Lauren Betts (UCLA) as household names. Founder Alex Morgan and cofounder Jessica Robertson. 'Everyone Watches Women's Sports' is a cultural ... More movement. The company has played a pivotal role in driving this momentum by creating meaningful partnerships with legacy brands. Since its launch, the company has built alliances with global names like Aflac, TJ Maxx, and most notably, Nike. 'When we launched 'Everyone Watches Women's Sports' as a consumer product, it became a unifying anthem,' Robertson said. 'Nike, one of our long-time partners, saw the proof of concept and the community it inspired. Our missions aligned, and together, we've unlocked what global impact in women's sports can really look like.' These collaborations aren't just symbolic—they're strategic. They bring visibility, resources and cultural capital to women's sports, shifting the conversation from charity to smart, future-facing investment. As Robertson explains, 'Women's sports have often been treated as a cause or charity—the 'right thing to support.' But now, it's just really cool, really great business. If you're not into it, you're just dated.' Its trademarked slogan generated over $6 million in revenue in 2024 alone, including 20,000 units sold during just three days of March Madness. The brand's recent collaboration with Nike further cemented its influence with a co-branded apparel collection designed to elevate women athletes through fashion and cultural relevance. Beyond merchandise, the brand is telling more inclusive stories across platforms. The company's in-house production studio has developed a slate of premium scripted and unscripted content that is now streaming on platforms like Amazon Prime and FuboTV. In March, it expanded into publishing with its first book, Play It Forward, a collection of 25 inspirational stories celebrating women's voices and victories in sports. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 21: Jessica Robertson, Cofounder, Togethxr speaks at the Fast Company ... More Innovation Festival at Convene on September 21, 2023 in New York City. (Photo byfor Fast Company) For companies looking to follow in Togethxr's footsteps and build a true movement—not a moment or a moral cause—Robertson offers three key pieces of advice: Looking ahead, Togethxr is planning an exciting lineup of activations for the 2025 NCAA Women's Final Four, including a co-branded launch event with Nike in Tampa, a youth athlete day of play and a high-profile event with Aflac featuring major athletes. They'll also host a live taping with sports icons Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe, and Diana Taurasi, showing that storytelling remains a core part of their strategy. Robertson's ultimate vision? 'I want Togethxr to be the most influential brand in sports,' she said. 'We're not just telling stories. We're creating the future of sports.'
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
YouTube Reaches 12.7% TV Viewership Among Black Audiences
As streaming platforms compete for consumers' attention, Black Americans are proving to be 'power TV viewers,' accounting for 46 hours and 13 minutes per week, compared with 34 hours and 57 minutes for the overall U.S. population, according to a new report by Nielsen. When it comes to their streaming preferences, the biggest beneficiary is YouTube, which claimed 12.7% of total viewing time as of July, compared to 10% for U.S. viewers overall, the ratings measurement firm found. As for the other streaming platforms, Netflix came in second with a 7.2% share, followed by Tubi with 4.8%, Amazon with 4%, Hulu with 2.4%, Roku with 2.2%, Disney+ and Pluto TV with 1.3% each, Peacock with 1.2%, Paramount+ with 1% and Max with 0.9%. YouTube reaches 63% of Black adults and 44.4% surveyed said that they have purchased products based on YouTube content – outpacing word of mouth (43.7%), Facebook (35.7%), Instagram (32.8%) and TikTok (31%). 'Reaching Black consumers may not be a challenge—but connecting with us can be. Black consumers are leaning into platforms that emphasize conversation and create a sense of connection,' Charlene Polite Corley, Nielsen's vice president of diverse insights and partnerships, said in a statement. 'To win with this community who wields $2 trillion in buying power, brands must prioritize engagement strategies that center diverse Black experiences and cultural nuances.' Despite streaming gaining overall share with Black viewers year over year, broadcast and cable make up a larger share of the demographic's TV viewing on a combined basis at 47%, compared to streaming's 41.4% share – suggesting that traditional channels remain a powerful way for advertisers to reach Black audiences. And sports remains a key area that offers an opportunity to turn fan loyalty into brand loyalty. Nielsen noted that Black viewership for the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship was up 51.2% year over year, while the WNBA All Star Game was up 161% year over year and the WNBA Draft was up 226.9% year over year. Nielsen found that 51% of Black sports fans would recommend a brandsponsor—making them 3% more likely than all sports fans. And Black fans are 7% more likely than all sports fans to buy a brand after seeing its sponsorship activations. Sporting events accounted for 19% of Black sports supersfans' viewership by genre, compared to 17% for general dramas, 12% for news, 10% for a feature film and 9% for sports commentary. The survey was based on a sample of more than 42,000 homes and over 100,000 real people selected from Nielsen's national TV panel, as well as 45 millionbig data households and 75 million devices from Comcast, Dish, DIRECTV,Roku and Vizio. The post YouTube Reaches 12.7% TV Viewership Among Black Audiences appeared first on TheWrap.
Associated Press
29-01-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Nielsen exclusive report: inclusive, digital content drives Black audiences from reach to conversion
NEW YORK, Jan. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Black audiences spend 32 hours on apps and websites on their smartphones and tablets—two hours more than the total U.S. population, according to the latest exclusive Nielsen's Diverse Intelligence Series report Connecting with Black America: How brands impact, grow and win with inclusion. As Black consumers continue to be digital trendsetters, brands' must finetune their approach to engaging with this audience in order to drive long-term connections. 'Reaching Black consumers may not be a challenge—but connecting with us can be. Black consumers are leaning into platforms that emphasize conversation and create a sense of connection,' says Charlene Polite Corley, Vice President of Diverse Insights & Partnerships. 'To win with this community who wields $2 trillion in buying power, brands must prioritize engagement strategies that center diverse Black experiences and cultural nuances.' With the growing diversity of audiences and media platforms, Nielsen's approach—big data verified and enhanced by robust panels—helps marketers understand what and where diverse audiences are consuming content. Social media apps have become a haven for Black consumers – Black adults overall spend more time scrolling than their peers. Black millennials (between 18 and 34-years-old) spend the most time on social media among all adults by almost an hour per week. Black adults also have high engagement with radio and podcasts. Radio averages the same as TV in weekly reach with Black adults – each medium reaches 27 million Black adults on average. Black audiences continue to be power TV viewers, spending 46 hours and 13 minutes per week watching TV, compared to almost 35 hours for the total U.S. population. 46% of that time is spent on streaming, which is gaining share year-over-year with Black adults. YouTube is the top platform—where Black audiences spend 13% of their total TV time, compared to 10% for all U.S. viewers. In fact, YouTube reaches 63% of Black adults and 44% report that they have purchased products based on YouTube content. The preference for YouTube as a source outpaces word of mouth, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Other digital platforms also offer the conversations and commentary that influence Black consumers' purchasing decisions. 63% say they're more likely to evaluate a new brand based on a social media ad or content, compared with 58% overall. In addition, podcasts drive powerful connections: 73% of Black listeners were able to recall a brand name after ad exposure compared to 70% overall. Black sports fans offer brands a new opportunity to turn fan loyalty into brand loyalty. For women's basketball, with Black talent like Angel Reese and A'ja Wilson attracting interest, viewership hit record highs. Between 2023 and 2024, Black viewership increased 161% for the WNBA All-Star Game, 227% for the WNBA Draft and 51% for the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship. This engagement is likely to drive sales: Black fans are 7% more likely than all sports fans to buy a brand after seeing its sponsorship activations. For more details and insights, download the full report. Join the conversation on LinkedIn. In 2011, Nielsen launched the Diverse Intelligence Series, a robust portfolio of comprehensive reports that focus on diverse audiences and their media preferences, media trends and representation. The series has become an industry resource to help brands better understand and reach diverse customers. To learn more about Nielsen's Diverse Intelligence research series, visit ABOUT NIELSEN Nielsen shapes the world's media and content as a global leader in audience measurement, data and analytics. Through our understanding of people and their behaviors across all channels and platforms, we empower our clients with independent and actionable intelligence so they can connect and engage with their audiences—now and into the future. Nielsen operates around the world in more than 55 countries. Learn more at and connect with us on social media (X, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram).
