Iowa ranks third in college basketball fan engagement by market

Iowa's Des Moines/Ames TV market has been ranked as the third most engaged college basketball market in the nation by Nielsen, trailing only Lexington and Louisville. The rankings, based on various fan engagement metrics from January 2025 to May 2026, highlight a 20% increase in men's and a 19% increase in women's college basketball viewership during the 2025-26 season. Both Iowa and Iowa State have garnered significant attention in women's basketball, establishing themselves as leading programs. The Iowa basketball teams began their 2026-27 seasons the week of November 1.

• 1:04 PMYahoo Sports — Iowans ranks among nation's biggest college basketball fans