An all-time classic delivered in the ratings for TBS.
Saturday’s Virginia-Purdue NCAA Tournament regional final earned a 5.9 rating and 10.49 million viewers on TBS, up 11% in ratings and 8% in viewership from last year (Michigan-Florida State: 5.3, 9.71M) and up 10% and 13% respectively from 2017 (Oregon-Kansas: 5.4, 9.31M).
The Cavaliers’ overtime win was the highest rated and most-watched Saturday regional final since 2016 on CBS (Villanova-Kansas: 6.7, 11.56M).
In addition, it trails only Kentucky-Notre Dame in 2015 (8.4, 14.75M) as the highest rated and most-watched regional final ever on cable (12 telecasts dating back to 2014). Overall, it ranks as the 11th-most watched college basketball game in cable history, behind Kentucky-Notre Dame and nine Final Four games.
Earlier Saturday, Texas Tech-Gonzaga had a 4.5 and 7.72 million — up a tick in ratings but down 1% in viewership from last year (Loyola Chicago-Kansas State: 4.4, 7.79M) and up 22% and 28% respectively from 2017 (Gonzaga-Xavier: 3.7, 6.05M).
The Red Raiders’ narrow win was the only game of the Elite Eight to decline. All four Texas Tech games in this year’s NCAA Tournament have posted a decline in ratings and/or viewership.
Both games declined in adults 18-49, with Virginia-Purdue down a tick to a 2.9 rating and Texas Tech-Gonzaga off 9% to a 2.0.
[Numbers from Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily 4.2]
