Men’s National Championship numbers game.

Ratings and viewership for every NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship game since 1975.

The five lowest rated National Championship games have taken place in the past six years, with the lowest rating coming for the 2004 game between Georgia Tech and Connecticut. Last year’s Kansas/Memphis game was the third-lowest rated of the past 35 years.

Since 1999, ratings for the National Championship game have declined 30% — from a 17.2 in ’99 to a 12.1 in ’08. By comparison, ratings for the World Series have declined 48% from ’99 to ’08 (16.0 to 8.4), and ratings for the NBA Finals have declined 18% (11.3 to 9.3). Keep in mind that ratings for all three events have varied during that span.

The 2005 National Championship Game, the last to feature North Carolina, drew a 15.0/23 rating, up 36% from the previous year, and the highest rating for the National Championship game in the past six years.

The five National Championship games to feature North Carolina since ’75 have averaged a 19.8 rating, 6% higher than the 18.6 average for all title games during that span. The highest rated title game to involve North Carolina came in 1993, when the Tar Heels’ win over Michigan drew a 22.2/34 rating.

Meanwhile, the 2000 National Championship game, the last to feature Michigan State, drew a 14.1/23, down 18% from ’99, and at the time the lowest rating ever for the game.

The two title games to feature Michigan State since ’75 averaged a 19.1 rating, higher than the 18.6 average. That can be almost entirely attributed to the 24.1/38 rating for the Spartans’ 1979 victory over Indiana State, still the highest rating ever for a college basketball game.

Ratings for every Men’s Basketball National Championship Game since ’75.
Source: Sports Business Daily, Media Life Magazine

Ratings for National Championship Games involving North Carolina since ’75.

Ratings for National Championship games involving Michigan State since ’75.