UI Athletics news release
Hawkeyes Return to Women’s Champions Classic
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Horizon Sports & Experiences (HS&E) and FOX Sports announced today the return of the premier early-season women’s college basketball showcase, the Shark Beauty™ Women’s Champions Classic, set for Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025 and scheduled to tip off in primetime on FOX (start time subject to change). This marquee event on the college basketball calendar, which enjoys maximum exposure on a national broadcast network, will once again be headlined by The University of Connecticut, the University of Iowa, the University of Louisville and the University of Tennessee. The organizers also announced the event will remain in New York at Barclays Center through 2026.
After an impactful inaugural event, these four women’s basketball powerhouses are set for their early season return to Brooklyn, as Tennessee will take on Louisville and Iowa plays Connecticut. Single admission tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, March 14, 2025 at 10 a.m. EDT on Ticketmaster. A presale for American Express Cardholders will go live today at 11 a.m. EDT.
“The Shark Beauty™ Women’s Champions Classic is a platform that celebrates the dynamic shifts we are seeing in women’s sports and enables brands to engage with an expansive, captivated audience growing at an unprecedented pace,” said David Levy, co-CEO/founder, Horizon Sports & Experiences. “We are delighted to have these four decorated programs make their emphatic return to the ‘Court of Champions’ in Brooklyn.”
The inaugural Shark Beauty Women’s Champions Classic was packed with more than 11,000 fans in attendance at Barclays Center and peaked at 800k viewers on FOX. The event also featured a first-of-its-kind in arena styling activation from title sponsor Shark Beauty. Other blue chip event partners stepping up in women’s sports included Capital One, Ally, State Farm, Nike and Gatorade.
“We are thrilled to advance FOX Sports’ longstanding investment in women’s sports with the continuation of the Shark Beauty™ Women’s Champions Classic,” said Jordan Bazant, Executive Vice President, FOX Sports. “We are proud to shine a spotlight on the women’s game on television’s biggest platform, and following the success of the inaugural event, we can’t wait to welcome these storied programs back to Brooklyn in December.”
Follow the Shark Beauty Women’s Champions Classic on the following platforms for more news and announcements ahead of the December 20th event. Website: https://