Men’s Elite Eight ratings bounced back from last year’s altered weeknight schedule, but declined across-the-board from the previous weekend edition three years ago.
Sunday’s North Carolina-Saint Peter’s men’s NCAA Tournament regional final averaged a 7.21 rating and 13.58 million viewers on CBS, marking the lowest rated and least-watched late Sunday Elite Eight window since North Carolina-Notre Dame in 2016 — which aired in a later than usual start time and on TBS (5.8, 10.11M). Excluding that 2016 game, it was the lowest rated and least-watched since Kansas-North Carolina on CBS in 2012 (7.1, 11.68M).
The Tar Heels’ easy win over the 15th-seeded Peacocks nonetheless ranks as the highest rated and most-watched game of the tournament thus far. Keep in mind the late Sunday Elite Eight window is typically the most-watched basketball game of the year outside of the Final Four and NBA Finals.
Saint Peter’s has now played in two of the three most-watched games in this year’s NCAA Tournament, with their Sweet 16 win over Purdue ranking third (5.35, 10.18M).
Ratings fell 24% and viewership 16% from the Michigan State-Duke in the same window three years ago, the last time the Elite Eight aired on its usual days of the week (9.4, 16.20M). Last year’s ‘equivalent’ game, UCLA-Michigan on a Tuesday night on TBS, averaged a 3.95 and 6.89 million, pending revision.
Viewership could not quite match the night’s Academy Awards on ABC, which averaged 16.62 million viewers. The Oscars also came out ahead in adults 18-34 (2.9 to 2.2), 18-49 (3.8 to 3.3) and 25-54 (4.6 to 4.0). It should be noted that prior to last year, it would have been unthinkable for the Oscars to rank so close to an Elite Eight game.
Ranking second for Elite Eight weekend, Duke-Arkansas pulled a 5.2 and 10.34 million on TBS Saturday night — down 12% in ratings and 1% in viewership from Virginia-Purdue in the same window three years ago (5.9, 10.49M). It ranks as the third-most watched Elite Eight game ever on cable (16 telecasts) behind only the ’19 game and Kentucky-Notre Dame in 2015 (14.75M), but the 5.2 rating is the lowest for the late Saturday Elite Eight window in at least 25 years.
The ‘equivalent’ window last year, Baylor-Arkansas on a Monday night on CBS, averaged a 3.8 and 6.45 million pending revision.
Kansas-Miami ranked third for the weekend with a 5.3 and 9.51 million on CBS Sunday afternoon, down 17% and 9% respectively from Auburn-Kentucky in ’19 (6.4, 10.49M). Last year’s ‘equivalent’ window, Gonzaga-USC on a Tuesday night on TBS, averaged a 3.1 and 5.40 million pending revision. The 5.3 rating is the lowest for any Sunday Elite Eight game since Syracuse-Virginia on TBS in 2016 (4.5).
Rounding out the weekend slate, Villanova-Houston pulled a 3.6 and 7.10 million on TBS Saturday evening — down 20% and 8% respectively from Texas Tech-Gonzaga in ’19 (4.5, 7.72M). Last year’s ‘equivalent’ window, Houston-Oregon State on a Monday night on CBS, drew a 3.5 and 5.92 million pending revision.
NCAA men’s Elite Eight ratings, viewership, past decade
