Ratings and viewership declined slightly for the 2014 NCAA Tournament, but remained among the best in the past decade.
The 2014 NCAA Tournament averaged a combined 10.5 million viewers per window on CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV — down 2% from last year’s 10.7 million, but up 9% from 2012 (9.6M). This year’s average is the second-highest for the NCAA Tournament since 2005. [Ratings and viewership for each telecast are available here.]
Entering the Final Four, the NCAA Tournament had been on pace for its highest average since 1993. However, all three games of the Final Four declined from last year, dragging down the average.
Each individual game averaged 4.4 million viewers, even with last year. That includes the Final Four simulcasts. CBS averaged approximately 7.5 million viewers for its coverage, compared to just under eight million last year when it aired the Final Four.
The four most-viewed games of the tournament involved Kentucky — the National Championship Game against Connecticut (21.2M), the National Semifinals against Wisconsin (16.3M), the Elite Eight against Michigan (14.6M) and the third round against Wichita St. (12.1M).
Average Viewership For NCAA Tournament
Past five years
Ratings and viewership for each game of the NCAA Tournament are available on the next page.
