Iowans’ passion for college sports is as strong as ever, according to new data from Nielsen.
The TV ratings company revealed the top 20 college basketball fan bases by market on Nov. 2. Nielsen determined the rankings using seven fan-engagement metrics: apparel purchases, live-event attendance, social media engagement, radio listening, streaming and linear TV viewership and overall interest from January 2025 through May 2026.
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Here’s what to know.
Iowa’s college basketball fans ranked among the nation’s best
1 / 8
See our top photos of Iowa State women’s basketball vs Grambling State
Iowa State guard Ashleigh Connor (15) goes up for a layup as Grambling State guard Azalia Hoover (21) defends during the first quarter of the season opener at Hilton Coliseum on Nov. 2, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. (Photo by Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune, USA TODAY Network)
(Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune)
1 / 8
See our top photos of Iowa State women’s basketball vs Grambling State
Iowa State guard Ashleigh Connor (15) goes up for a layup as Grambling State guard Azalia Hoover (21) defends during the first quarter of the season opener at Hilton Coliseum on Nov. 2, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. (Photo by Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune, USA TODAY Network)
(Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune)
2 / 8
See our top photos of Iowa State women’s basketball vs Grambling State
Iowa State center Xiao Zhang (24) shoots over Grambling State guard Da’Naya Ross (1) during the first quarter of the season opener at Hilton Coliseum on Nov. 2, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. (Photo by Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune, USA TODAY Network)
(Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune)
3 / 8
See our top photos of Iowa State women’s basketball vs Grambling State
Iowa State guard Sienna Harvey (1) goes up for a layup as Grambling State guard Azalia Hoover (21) defends during the first quarter of the season opener at Hilton Coliseum on Nov. 2, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. (Photo by Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune, USA TODAY Network)
(Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune)
4 / 8
See our top photos of Iowa State women’s basketball vs Grambling State
Iowa State guard/forward Alex-Anne Bessette (10) shoots over Grambling State center Eve Fiala (50) during the first quarter of the season opener at Hilton Coliseum on Nov. 2, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. (Photo by Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune, USA TODAY Network)
(Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune)
5 / 8
See our top photos of Iowa State women’s basketball vs Grambling State
Iowa State guard Mya Babbitt (3) shoots around Grambling State guard Madison Holden (2) during the first quarter of the season opener at Hilton Coliseum on Nov. 2, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. (Photo by Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune, USA TODAY Network)
(Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune)
6 / 8
See our top photos of Iowa State women’s basketball vs Grambling State
Iowa State forward Tjaša Turnšek (46) shoots as Grambling State guard Madison Holden (2) defends during the first quarter of the season opener at Hilton Coliseum on Nov. 2, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. (Photo by Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune, USA TODAY Network)
(Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune)
7 / 8
See our top photos of Iowa State women’s basketball vs Grambling State
Iowa State’s forward Gift Ezekiel (21) shoots the ball around Grambling State center Sophia Goncalves (25) during the second quarter of the season opener at Hilton Coliseum on Nov. 2, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. (Photo by Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune, USA TODAY Network)
(Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune)
8 / 8
See our top photos of Iowa State women’s basketball vs Grambling State
Iowa State forward Tjaša Turnšek (46) goes up for a layup as Grambling State guard Kinsley James (22) defends during the first quarter of the season opener at Hilton Coliseum on Nov. 2, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. (Photo by Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune, USA TODAY Network)
(Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune)
The Des Moines/Ames TV market ranked No. 3 in the ratings, coming in behind Lexington and Louisville in Kentucky.
“Des Moines/Ames stands out as a digital media leader, topping social media, streaming, and radio engagement,” Nielsen wrote in the news release. “Connected TV (CTV) and digital audio campaigns are exceptionally effective in capturing these highly interactive fans before they make purchasing decisions.”
The rankings come after a season of growing national interest in college basketball. Nielsen reported a 20% increase in men’s college basketball viewership and a 19% increase in women’s college basketball viewership during the 2025-26 season.
Iowans also ranked No. 2 in Nielsen’s College Football Fandom Index, released in September.
Iowa and Iowa State’s basketball teams kicked off their 2026-27 seasons the week of Nov. 1.
What are the top 10 college basketball markets?
Here are the top 10 college basketball fan bases by market, according to Nielsen.
Rank
Market
College teams
1
Lexington
Kentucky
2
Louisville
Louisville
3
Des Moines/Ames
Iowa State, Iowa
4
Raleigh/Durham
Duke, UNC, NC State
5
Indianapolis
Butler, Indiana, Purdue
6
Birmingham
Alabama, UAB
7
Omaha
Creighton, Nebraska
8
Knoxville
Tennessee
9
Kansas City
Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri
10
Witchita/Hutchinson
Witchita State
Elsewhere in the top 20 were Oklahoma City, Memphis and Tucson. The rankings favored midsized markets with longstanding college sports traditions, particularly in the Southeast and Midwest, where fans tended to show greater interest and engagement than those in larger metropolitan cities.
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Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.
