Airing on cable for the first time, the NCAA Tournament Final Four was a boon to TBS — despite multi-year declines.
Saturday’s Kentucky/Wisconsin Final Four game earned a combined 9.2 U.S. rating and 16.3 million viewers on TBS, TNT and TruTV, according to Nielsen fast-nationals — down 10% in ratings and 5% in viewership from Michigan/Syracuse on CBS last year (10.2, 17.1M), and down 4% and 2%, respectively, from Kansas/Ohio State on CBS in 2012 (9.6, 16.6M).
Kentucky/Wisconsin ranks as the most-viewed non-football sporting event in cable TV history. The previous high was set by the Japan/United States Women’s World Cup Final in 2011 (13.5M). The previous high for a basketball game was 13.3 million viewers for Game 7 of the Celtics/Heat NBA Eastern Conference Finals on ESPN in 2012.
Despite the record, Kentucky/Wisconsin ranks as the lowest rated (tie) Final Four game in the late window in five years and the least-viewed in four.
Earlier in the night, the Connecticut/Florida game earned a 6.9 and 11.7 million viewers — down 21% in ratings and 19% in viewership from Louisville/Wichita State on CBS last year (8.7, 14.5M), and down 18% and 16%, respectively, from Kentucky/Louisville on CBS in 2012 (8.4, 13.9M).
The game ranks as the sixth-most viewed non-football sporting event ever on cable, trailing only Kentucky/Wisconsin (#1), the 2011 Women’s World Cup Final (#2), Game 7 of the Red Sox/Rays ALCS in 2008 (13.4M, #3), Celtics/Heat Game 7 in 2012 (#4), and Game 6 of the Yankees/Rangers ALCS in 2010 (11.8M, #5).
Even so, the game also ranks as the lowest rated and least-viewed Final Four telecast in any window since Kansas/Marquette in 2003 (6.3, 9.9M).
Most-Viewed Non-Football Sporting Events in Cable History
Final Four Ratings/Viewership, Past Decade
| Year | Net(s) | Early Game | Rating | Viewers | Late Game | Rating | Viewers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | TBS, TNT, TruTV | UConn/Florida | 6.9 | 11.7M | Kentucky/Wisconsin |
9.2
|
16.3M
|
| 2013 | CBS | Louisville/Wich. St. | 8.7 | 14.5M | Michigan/Syracuse |
10.2
|
17.1M
|
| 2012 | CBS | Kentucky/Louisville | 8.4 | 13.9M | Kansas/Ohio St. |
9.6
|
16.6M
|
| 2011 | CBS | Butler/VCU | 8.3 | 14.2M | UConn/Kentucky |
9.5
|
16.7M
|
| 2010 | CBS | Butler/Mich. St. | 8.6 | 14.5M | Duke/West Va. |
9.2
|
15.8M
|
| 2009 | CBS |
Mich St./UConn
|
7.8 | 12.6M | UNC/Villanova |
8.5
|
14.5M
|
| 2008 | CBS | Memphis/UCLA | 7.2 | 11.8M | Kansas/UNC | 8.8 |
14.4M
|
| 2007 | CBS |
Ohio St./Gtwn.
|
8.4 | 13.2M | Florida/UCLA | 8.9 |
14.4M
|
| 2006 | CBS |
Florida/G. Mason
|
9.1 | 14.5M | UCLA/LSU |
8.2
|
13.1M
|
| 2005 | CBS |
Illinois/Louisville
|
10.0 | 15.7M | UNC/Mich. St. |
10.9
|
17.5M
|
| 2004 | CBS | Ga. Tech/Okla. St. | 8.3 | 12.9M | UConn/Duke | 10.5 |
16.7M
|
(Sat. numbers from Sports Business Daily)
