College basketball fans were treated to arguably the best matchup possible in this year’s NCAA Tournament national championship game when No. 1-seeded South Carolina played No. 2-seeded UConn.

Though the game was an 82-59 blowout in favor of the Huskies, there were still plenty of intriguing storylines to watch including the possibility of South Carolina repeating as national champions and the college swan song for Paige Bueckers, who many consider the top player in the country and the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA draft.

But despite all of the buildup leading into Sunday’s game, when the television ratings were announced by ESPN on Monday, there was a feeling of disappointment when comparing the 2025 title game, which drew 8.5 million viewers, with last year’s, which drew a record 18.9 million viewers.

Of course, many pointed to the absence of Indiana Fever guard and former Iowa star Caitlin Clark from this year’s tournament final for the disappointing ratings, which didn’t even draw half of the previous year’s viewership.

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy even took to X to ask Clark’s critics, some of whom have seemingly suggested her race is one of the reasons for her surging popularity, why the 2025 national championship, which featured the top player in the country, drew significantly fewer eyeballs than last year’s game, which also featured the top player in the country.

“I’m going to need all the race baiters who explain Caitlin Clarks popularity simply because she’s white to explain why 10 million more people watched her last year than Paige Bueckers (also white) this year. I’ll hang up and listen,” Portnoy tweeted.

Portnoy’s tweet sparked a heated debate in his comment section, but some fans made it clear they believed that Clark being a generational player—not the color of her skin—was why the 2024 title game more than double the viewership of this year’s title game.

“I watched last year and not this year. Was first time I ever watched cause of Caitlin,” one fan stated.

“Caitlin def change the game of basketball. She was a main reason I watched last year. Very electrifying to watch,” another chimed in.

“Caitlin Clark is a generational talent, like Jordan, like LeBron, like Tiger in his prime, Ichiro, she’s must see TV. Some people can’t stand that she’s white,” remarked another fan.

“10 million more people watched the game because the people thought Caitlin Clark and her team could take down the defending National Champions! Caitlin Clark is just a sensational player! Everyone admired her. I think you could step back from the “race baiters” post. Just glorify in the time we all living in with college sports!” one user wrote.

“Why is being more entertaining a crime. Can people just accept she’s the most entertaining woman’s player ever. It’s a fact and proven by ratings,” another user proclaimed.

“Caitlin is like Curry! You watch because something amazing could happen at any time like a Trey from the logo or no-look alley oop!” one fan added.