In 1982, the first Division I NCAA women's basketball tournament was held. The NCAA was able to offer incentives, such as payment of transportation costs, to participating members, something the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women was not able to do. When former AIAW powerhouses like Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, and Old Dominion decided to participate in the NCAA tournament, the AIAW tournament lost much of its appeal and popularity.
NBC canceled its TV contract with the association, and in mid-1982 the AIAW stopped operations in all sports. Following the last AIAW sanctioned event in 1982, the AIAW pursued a federal antitrust suit against the NCAA. But one year later, after the presiding judge ruled against the organization, the AIAW ceased existence on June 30, 1983.
Under NCAA governance, scholarships increased. However, several problems the NCAA was facing, then and now, began to also affect women's intercollegiate athletics. Examples of these include recruiting irregularities and increased turnover in coaching positions for revenue-producing sports.
| Date | Network | Location | Play-by-play announcer | Color analyst(s) | Sideline reporter(s) | Rules analyst(s) | Studio host | Studio analyst(s) |
|---|
| 1982 | CBS (championship game) | Norfolk Scope
(Norfolk, Virginia) | Frank Glieber | Cathy Rush | | | | |
| 1983 | Ann Meyers | | | | |
| 1984 | Pauley Pavilion
(Los Angeles, California) | | | | |
| 1985 | CBS (championship game)
ESPN (national semifinals) | Frank Erwin Center
(Austin, Texas) | Frank Glieber
Jim Thacker | Pat Summitt
Mimi Griffin | | | | |
| 1986 | Rupp Arena
(Lexington, Kentucky) | Gary Bender
Leandra Reilly | Mimi Griffin | | | | |
| 1987 | Frank Erwin Center
(Austin, Texas) | Tim Brant
Leandra Reilly | Mimi Griffin
Cheryl Miller | | | | |
| 1988 | Tacoma Dome
(Tacoma, Washington) | Tim Brant
Roger Twibell | | | | |
| 1989 | Tim Brant
Steve Physioc | | | | |
| 1990 | Thompson–Boling Arena
(Knoxville, Tennessee) | Tim Brant
Bob Rathbun | Mimi Griffin | Andrea Joyce | | Andrea Joyce | |
| 1991 | CBS | Lakefront Arena
(New Orleans, Louisiana) | Brad Nessler | Andrea Joyce and Mary Carillo | | | |
| 1992 | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
(Los Angeles, California) | Ann Meyers | | | Andrea Joyce | |
| 1993 | The Omni
(Atlanta, Georgia) | Tim Ryan | Andrea Joyce and Mary Carillo | | | |
| 1994 | Richmond Coliseum
(Richmond, Virginia) | | | Andrea Joyce | |
| 1995 | Target Center
(Minneapolis, Minnesota) | Sean McDonough | Dan Bonner | | Sheryl Swoopes |
| 1996 | ESPN | Charlotte Coliseum
(Charlotte, North Carolina) | Mike Patrick | | | Robin Roberts | Mimi Griffin |
| 1997 | Riverfront Coliseum
(Cincinnati, Ohio) | | | Mimi Griffin and Rebecca Lobo |
| 1998 | Kemper Arena
(Kansas City, Missouri) | | |
| 1999 | San Jose Arena
(San Jose, California) | Pam Ward and Jennifer Azzi | |
| 2000 | First Union Center
(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) | Michele Tafoya and Vera Jones-Soleyna | | Jay Bilas and Vera Jones-Soleyna |
| 2001 | Savvis Center
(St. Louis, Missouri) | Michele Tafoya and Pam Ward | | Nell Fortner and Vera Jones |
| 2002 | Alamodome
(San Antonio, Texas) | | |
| 2003 | Georgia Dome
(Atlanta, Georgia) | Doris Burke and Pam Ward | | Rece Davis | Nell Fortner and Stacey Dales |
| 2004 | New Orleans Arena
(New Orleans, Louisiana) | Doris Burke | |
| 2005 | RCA Dome
(Indianapolis, Indiana) | Doris Burke and Mark Jones | | Stacey Dales and Lisa Leslie |
| 2006 | TD Garden
(Boston, Massachusetts) | Doris Burke | Holly Rowe and Mark Jones | | Trey Wingo | Kara Lawson and Stacey Dales |
| 2007 | Quicken Loans Arena
(Cleveland, Ohio) | |
| 2008 | St. Pete Times Forum
(Tampa, Florida) | Holly Rowe and Rebecca Lobo | |
| 2009 | Scottrade Center
(St. Louis, Missouri) | | Kara Lawson and Carolyn Peck |
| 2010[1] | Alamodome
(San Antonio, Texas) | Dave O'Brien | |
| 2011[2] | Bankers Life Fieldhouse
(Indianapolis, Indiana) | |
| 2012[3] | Pepsi Center
(Denver, Colorado) | |
| 2013[4] | New Orleans Arena
(New Orleans, Louisiana) | | Kevin Negandhi |
| 2014[5] | Bridgestone Arena
(Nashville, Tennessee) | Holly Rowe | | Kara Lawson and Rebecca Lobo |
| 2015[6] | Amalie Arena
(Tampa, Florida) | |
| 2016[7] | Bankers Life Fieldhouse
(Indianapolis, Indiana) | Beth Mowins | |
| 2017[8] | American Airlines Center
(Dallas, Texas) | Dave O'Brien | Doris Burke and Kara Lawson | | Maria Taylor | Rebecca Lobo and Andy Landers |
| 2018[9] | Nationwide Arena
(Columbus, Ohio) | Adam Amin | Kara Lawson and Rebecca Lobo | | Rebecca Lobo, Nell Fortner and Andy Landers |
| 2019[10] | Amalie Arena
(Tampa, Florida) | |
| 2020 | Not held because of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021[11] | ESPN | Alamodome
(San Antonio, Texas) | Ryan Ruocco | Rebecca Lobo | Holly Rowe and LaChina Robinson | | Maria Taylor | Andy Landers and Carolyn Peck |
| 2022[12] | Target Center
(Minneapolis, Minnesota) | Holly Rowe and Andraya Carter | | Elle Duncan | Rebecca Lobo, Nikki Fargas and Carolyn Peck |
| 2023[13] | ABC (championship game)
ESPN (national semifinals) | American Airlines Center
(Dallas, Texas) | | Rebecca Lobo, Monica McNutt, Carolyn Peck and Andraya Carter |
| 2024[14] | Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
(Cleveland, Ohio) | Holly Rowe | Lisa Mattingly and Denny Meyer | Andraya Carter, Chiney Ogwumike, Carolyn Peck and Aliyah Boston | |
| Date | Network | Location | Play-by-play announcer | Color analyst(s) | Sideline reporter(s) | Studio host |
|---|
| 2006 | Westwood One | TD Garden (Boston, Massachusetts) | Beth Mowins | Debbie Antonelli | Krista Blunk | Brad Sham |
| 2007 | Quicken Loans Arena (Cleveland, Ohio) | Joe Tolleson |
| 2008 | St. Pete Times Forum (St. Petersburg, Florida) |
| 2009 | Scottrade Center (St. Louis, Missouri) |
| 2010 | Alamodome (San Antonio, Texas) |
| 2011 | Conseco Fieldhouse (Indianapolis, Indiana) |
| 2012 | Dial Global | Pepsi Center (Denver, Colorado) | Dave Ryan |
| 2013 | New Orleans Arena
(New Orleans, Louisiana) |
| 2014 | Westwood One | Bridgestone Arena
(Nashville, Tennessee) |
| 2015 | Amalie Arena
(Tampa, Florida) | John Sadak | Lance Medow |
| 2016 | Bankers Life Fieldhouse
(Indianapolis, Indiana) |
| 2017 | American Airlines Center
(Dallas, Texas) |
| 2018 | Nationwide Arena
(Columbus, Ohio) |
| 2019 | Amalie Arena
(Tampa, Florida) |
| 2020 | Not held because of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021 | Westwood One | Alamodome (San Antonio, Texas) | Ryan Radtke | Debbie Antonelli | Krista Blunk | Lance Medow |
| 2022 | Target Center (Minneapolis, Minnesota) |
| 2023 | American Airlines Center (Dallas, Texas) |
| 2024 | Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse (Cleveland, Ohio) | Ros Gold-Onwude | |
