A star-studded Sunday lifted the NCAA Tournament to its highest average in nearly 25 years.
Coverage of the NCAA Tournament averaged 9.3 million viewers across CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV through Sunday, per Nielsen fast-nationals — up 10% from last year (8.5M), up 1% from 2015 (from 9.25M to 9.33M) and the highest average through the first weekend of play since 1993. The previous highs were set in 2014 and 2015.
Through Saturday, the tournament was up only 2% from last year and trailed both 2014 and 2015. That changed with a big performance for Sunday’s games, which averaged a combined 11.9 million viewers over four telecast windows — up 34% from last year (8.9M) and the largest audience for the first Sunday since 1993.
The early evening window was the top draw with a combined 10.8 rating and 18.6 million viewers across CBS, TNT and TBS, up 32% in ratings and 38% in viewership from last year (8.2, 13.5M), up 14% and 22% respectively from 2015 (9.5, 15.2M) and the largest audience in the window since 1991. Kansas-Michigan State led the way with nearly 11.0 million viewers on CBS (+33%) with North Carolina-Arkansas chipping in 4.5 million on TNT (+90%).
That was followed by a 6.5 and 11.3 million for the late evening window on TNT, TBS and TruTV, up 30% in ratings and 36% from last year (5.0, 8.3M), up 5% and 11% respectively from 2015 (6.2, 10.2M) and the largest audience in the window since it was formed in 2011. South Carolina’s upset of Duke was the top draw with 6.0 million on TNT (+93%) followed by UCLA-Cincinnati with 3.4 million on TBS (+24%).
Earlier in the day, Kentucky-Wichita State had a 6.3 and 10.3 million on CBS — up 17% in ratings and 23% in viewership from Notre Dame-Stephen F. Austin last year (5.4, 8.4M) and up 13% and 20% respectively from Duke-San Diego State in 2015 (5.6, 8.6M). Compared to Kentucky-Wichita State in 2014, which aired in the same window, ratings declined 16% and viewership 15% from a 7.5 and 12.1 million.
Michigan-Louisville started things off with a 4.7 and 7.3 million on CBS, up 34% in ratings and 38% in viewership from Villanova-Iowa last year (3.5, 5.3M) and flat and up a fraction of a percent (from 7.28M to 7.31M) compared to Virginia-Michigan State in 2015.
CORRECTION 3/21: Original version of this post said the tournament was posting its highest average since 1991. That was not correct. It is posting its highest average since 1993.
(Numbers from CBS/Turner, ShowBuzz Daily 3.21)
