For the second straight year, ratings for the Men’s NCAA Tournament were the second lowest in history.
The recently completed tournament averaged 5.6% of U.S. households, only a tick above the current record low — a 5.5 average for the Iraq War affected 2003 tournament. This marks only the second time the average rating for the NCAA Tournament dipped below a 6.0. The 5.6 is down 8% from a 6.1 last year — which was previously the second lowest average rating for the NCAA Tournament.
Ratings were down in every round, including for the Final Four. The National Championship game averaged a 12.1 final rating — down only slightly from the 12.2 for Florida/Ohio State in ’07.
The near record low for March Madness comes after CBS set a record low 1.3 average for regular season coverage.
While any sport that can net a 12 rating is a strong property, it is interesting that the consistent ratings declines for the NCAA Tournament — and college basketball in general — do not get nearly as much publicity as comparable declines for Major League Baseball, the NBA and the NHL.
