Cinderella’s last hurrah gave CBS some rare good news in the ratings over the weekend.
Davidson’s loss to Kansas in the Elite Eight drew easily the highest rating of the NCAA Tournament. The game, the closest of the weekend, drew an 8.7 overnight rating, up 19% from the comparable North Carolina/Georgetown game last year.
Davidson/Kansas was the only Elite Eight game to see ratings increase from last year.
Ratings were down 11% heading into Sunday. Thanks to the 8.7 overnight, that decline has shrunk to 7%.
Through the first four rounds, the NCAA Tournament is averaging a 5.2 rating, compared to a 5.6 last year. One possible culprit: compared to last year, the number of households using television is down 5%.
Elite Eight overnights.
5.2: Xavier/UCLA (6:30 PM CBS); down 10% from last year.
6.7: Louisville/North Carolina (9 PM CBS); down 1% from last year.
5.1: Texas/Memphis (2:30 PM CBS); down 7% from last year.
8.7: Davidson/Kansas (5 PM CBS); up 19% from last year.
