NCAA President Charlie Baker recently announced a remarkable 100% increase in television ratings for the NCAA women's volleyball tournament during an appearance on ESPN's "The Pat McAfee Show." This surge follows a significant 115% rise in viewership in the 2023 tournament compared to 2022. Baker attributed this growth to the public's enthusiasm for competitive sports and emphasized the need to recognize the revenue-generating potential of sports beyond football and basketball.

This year's tournament was almost impacted by the ongoing controversy surrounding San Jose State University's volleyball team and the inclusion of transgender athlete Blaire Fleming. Player Brooke Slusser and others have filed lawsuits against the NCAA and the Mountain West Conference, alleging they were compelled to compete against Fleming without being informed of her biological sex at birth. This situation led to numerous forfeited matches and heightened security measures for the team due to threats received by Slusser. The controversy even garnered attention from former President Donald Trump during a Fox News town hall.

San Jose State confirmed it did not disclose Fleming's status to opposing teams, only notifying them of increased security needs. A legal attempt to bar Fleming from the Mountain West tournament was unsuccessful, with a judge ruling that such a move would disrupt the event and unfairly impact participating teams. Consequently, Fleming and the Spartans competed in the tournament, even receiving a bye due to prior forfeitures by opponents. Boise State, whose home state prohibits transgender athletes in women's sports, forfeited three times against San Jose State. Ultimately, San Jose State lost to Colorado State in the final, preventing them from qualifying for the NCAA tournament.

Following the tournament, Spartans coach Todd Kress expressed concern over the hateful messages directed at his team and staff due to the forfeitures.