Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, responded to the news that NCAA women’s basketball surpassed NBA viewership on Thursday night. The matchup between LSU Tigers and South Carolina Gamecocks outperformed the NBA game, drawing 1.55 million viewers compared to the NBA’s 1.38 million.
Ohanian, the co-founder of Reddit, cheekily remarked on Twitter about the success of women’s sports. He has been a vocal advocate for women’s sports, investing in initiatives like Angel City FC in the NWSL and championing the visibility of women’s athletics.
“Been telling y’all,” Ohanian tweeted in reaction to the viewership numbers, emphasizing his ongoing support for women’s sports. In a conversation with Bloomberg Quicktake, he discussed the underlying reasons for the underinvestment in women’s sports.
Ohanian attributed the lack of investment to “low expectations,” pointing out that it reflects not only sexism and racism but also poor business decisions. He stressed the importance of building a dedicated fanbase for women’s sports worldwide and enhancing brand partnerships to demonstrate their value.
“You build a rabid, dogged fan base all over the world. You continue to raise the bar on brand partnerships. You continue to demonstrate the value,” Ohanian explained. He highlighted the enthusiasm of women’s sports fans and their willingness to support brands associated with their favorite teams as a significant asset.
