Utah Gymnastics Hoping To Continue Trend Of High Viewership For Women’s Sports
Apr 19, 2024, 1:41 PM
Utah Utes' Abby Paulson hugs head coach Carly Dockendorf during the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quads at the Maverik Center in West Valley City on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 2 Utah, No. 5 LSU and No. 12 UCLA competed in the meet. (Photo Cred: Megan Nielson, Deseret News)
(Photo Cred: Megan Nielson, Deseret News)
FORT WORTH, TX – It’s been said a lot this season, but women’s sports are having a moment and the Red Rocks hope that moment continues Saturday night as they compete for a National Title.
Women’s college hoops set a viewership record this season as Iowa and Caitlin Clark battled eventual National Champion South Carolina for the title.
College gymnastics is also on the rise in popularity setting a viewership record for the Final Four on the Floor last season. The Red Rocks took third place in that competition.
And then there were 4️⃣‼️
The NCAA gymnastics national championship stage is set 🤸♀️ pic.twitter.com/0erB4jAmQz
— ESPN (@espn) April 19, 2024
Red Rocks Eager To Set More Viewership Records For Women’s Sports
Utah senior Abby Paulson is particularly outspoken about women’s rights in and out of sports and expressed a desire to hopefully set another viewership record for college gymnastics this season to go along with the success women’s basketball had.
“I love seeing women’s sports succeed,” Paulson said. “I’m a very big advocate for both women’s sports and also women in the workplace and anywhere else in life they may be succeeding in. I’m so excited to see how big it’s gotten with Caitlin Clark and basketball and the biggest viewership ever for NCAA women’s basketball championship. Hopefully now we can push those same types of records this weekend. It’s just amazing. I love feeling like we are finally being seen.”
Women’s basketball title game: 18.9 million viewers.
Final round of The Masters: 9.6 million viewers (via @SportsTVRatings)
Would love to see golf use Dawn Staley, Kamilla Cardoso and Caitlin Clark next year to help out with the viewership.
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) April 16, 2024
Utah head coach Carly Dockendorf, who is the mother of two young daughters herself while coaching elite female athletes, also recognizes the power in what is happening with women’s sports on future generations.
“I think it’s amazing to see women’s sports continue to grow on the forefront,” Dockendorf said. “Just to feel empowerment for women- they obviously look up to these amazing athletes, but just to see more women’s sports on TV? I just think it gives little girls the opportunity to dream big and feel like they are able when it comes to sports.”
Squad goals. 🙌@UtahGymnastics | #RedRocks pic.twitter.com/L4vFziLdDW
— Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) April 19, 2024
You can help set a viewership record and cheer on the Red Rocks this Saturday starting at 1:30 pm MT.
Michelle Bodkin is the Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of both the Crimson Corner Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and The Saturday Show (Saturday from 10 a.m.–12 p.m.) on The KSL Sports Zone. Follow her on X, Instagram, and Threads: @BodkinKSLsports
Are you on Threads yet? Let’s connect, give us a follow @kslsports.
