Ratings for every NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen telecast since 2002. Last year’s four Sweet Sixteen telecasts averaged a 5.5 rating on CBS, the lowest for that round of the NCAA Tournament since at least 2002.
Since 2005, when the Sweet Sixteen averaged a 7.2, ratings for the round have dropped every single year.
2008
| Date | Time | Game | Net | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., 3/27/08 | 7:00 PM | West Virginia/Xavier or Washington St./USC | CBS | 5.9/11 |
| Thu., 3/27/08 | 9:30 PM | Western Kentucky/UCLA or Louisville/Tennessee | CBS | 5.5/10 |
| Fri., 3/29/08 | 7:00 PM | Davidson/Wisconsin or Stanford/Texas | CBS | 5.5/11 |
| Fri., 3/29/08 | 9:30 PM | Villanova/Kansas or Michigan St./Memphis | CBS | 5.0/9 |
2007
| Date | Time | Game | Net | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., 3/22/07 | 7:00 PM | Regional action | CBS | 6.0/11 |
| Thu., 3/22/07 | 9:30 PM | Regional action | CBS | 6.6/13 |
| Fri., 3/22/07 | 7:00 PM | Regional action | CBS | 5.4/11 |
| Fri., 3/22/07 | 9:30 PM | Regional action | CBS | 6.3/12 |
2006
| Date | Time | Game | Net | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., 3/23/06 | 7:00 PM | Regional action | CBS | 7.6/13 |
| Thu., 3/23/06 | 10:00 PM | Regional action | CBS | 7.1/13 |
| Fri., 3/24/06 | 7:00 PM | Regional action | CBS | 6.2/11 |
| Fri., 3/24/06 | 10:00 PM | Regional action | CBS | 6.5/13 |
2005
| Date | Time | Game | Net | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., 3/24/05 | 7:00 PM | Regional action | CBS | 6.9/12 |
| Thu., 3/24/05 | 10:00 PM | Regional action | CBS | 6.9/12 |
| Fri., 3/25/05 | 7:00 PM | Regional action | CBS | 7.3/14 |
| Fri., 3/25/05 | 10:00 PM | Regional action | CBS | 7.6/14 |
2004
| Date | Time | Game | Net | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., 3/25/04 | Early | Vanderbilt/Connecticut or Alabama/Syracuse | CBS | 6.2/11 |
| Thu., 3/25/04 | Late | Pittsburgh/Oklahoma St. or St. Joe’s/Wake Forest | CBS | 7.2/13 |
| Fri., 3/26/04 | Early | UAB/Kansas or Texas/Xavier | CBS | 5.7/11 |
| Fri., 3/26/04 | Late | Georgia Tech/Nevada or Duke/Illinois | CBS | 6.3/13 |
2003
| Date | Time | Game | Net | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., 3/27/03 | Early | Regional action | CBS | 6.1/10 |
| Thu., 3/27/03 | Late | Regional action | CBS | 6.5/12 |
| Fri., 3/28/03 | Early | Oklahoma St./Butler or Texas/Connecticut | CBS | 5.2/9 |
| Fri., 3/28/03 | Late | Syracuse/Auburn or Maryland/Michigan St. | CBS | 5.1/10 |
2002
| Date | Time | Game | Net | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., 3/21/02 | Early | Duke/Indiana or Arizona/Oklahoma | CBS | 7.8/13 |
| Thu., 3/21/02 | Late | Pittsburgh/Kent St. or UCLA/Missouri | CBS | 6.9/13 |
| Fri., 3/22/02 | Early | Connecticut/Southern Illinois or Oregon/Texas | CBS | 6.7/12 |
| Fri., 3/22/02 | Late | Maryland/Kentucky or Kansas/Illinois | CBS | 7.8/15 |
