The Oklahoma Sooners completed another historic season with their 8-4 win over the Texas Longhorns. The Red River Rivals competed in front of the largest viewership ever for a [autotag]Women’s College World Series[/autotag] Finals.
The Sooners and Longhorns averaged 2 million viewers and peaked at 2.5 million, setting a new high, up 3% from the previous record from 2015. This year’s viewership for the finals was up 24% from 2023. They were also the second and third most streamed softball games on ESPN+
It was a back-and-forth affair through the first half of the game, with Texas taking the lead twice before the Sooners took the lead for good in the fourth inning and pulled away in the sixth.
More: Best photos from Sooners 8-4 win over Texas Longhorns
Fans tuned in to the @NCAASoftball #WCWS Finals 🙌
🥎 Avg. 2M viewers, most-watched WCWS Finals on record
🥎 Game 2: 2M viewers; Peaked at 2.5M
🥎 Up 24% YoY
🥎 Second & third most-viewed softball game on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/fIBgGESZoo— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) June 7, 2024
The Red River Showdown between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the nation came down to the wire.
There was a lot on the line in this rivalry matchup for the championship. Texas was trying to win their first title, and the Oklahoma Sooners were looking to win their record fourth-straight and eighth overall.
The game reached its climax in the sixth inning as the Longhorns pulled within one, but Oklahoma pulled away in the bottom half with three runs to take an insurmountable four-run lead into the seventh.
In a game that was filled with drama and had several lead changes, Kelly Maxwell worked a drama-free 1-2-3 inning to close out the win.
College softball is growing across the nation. Programs around the country regularly set weekend attendance records, and viewership has grown across the sport.
Oklahoma’s dominance has drawn new fans to the sport, both to witness their greatness and root for their downfall. Either way, the sport is growing at a rapid pace and that’s great for the athletes and for the game.
More: Social media reacts to the Sooners win over Texas to clinch national title
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