Thanks to a lead-in from Monday Night Football, ESPN earned strong numbers for the first game of its 24-hour college basketball marathon.
ESPN earned a 1.7 U.S. rating and 2.604 million viewers for the Miami/Memphis college basketball game early Tuesday morning, easily the highest rated, most-viewed game of the network’s 24-hour college basketball marathon.
The game, which began at 12 AM ET, benefited from a lead-in by Monday Night Football (PHI/WSH: 9.3, 15.032 mil).
The second-biggest audience of the marathon came for Ohio State/Florida just after 6 PM ET, which drew a 1.0 and 1.483 million viewers.
Miami/Memphis and Ohio State/Florida were the only games of the marathon to draw at least a 1.0 U.S. rating.
In primetime, the 8 PM Butler/Louisville game drew a 0.9 U.S. rating and 1.267 million viewers, down 36% and 38%, respectively, from last year (GONZ/MSU: 1.4, 2.042 mil).
Meanwhile, the 10 PM South Carolina/Michigan State tilt earned a 0.7 and 1.000 million, down 50% in both ratings and viewership compared to last year (MEM/KU: 1.4, 2.004 mil).
At least five games of the marathon earned less than 500,000 viewers — four morning and afternoon games on ESPN, and one late night game on ESPN2. Of the five, the 8 AM Robert Morris/Kent State brought up the rear with a mere 0.2 and 241,000 viewers. Ratings for the 2 AM St. John’s/St. Mary’s and 4 AM Central Michigan/Hawaii games were not available.
