The 2014 NCAA Tournament got off to a good start in the overnights.
CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV combined to average 6.0 overnight rating for Thursday’s coverage of the NCAA Tournament, up 3% from last year (5.8), up 7% from 2012 (5.6), and the highest average on the opening Thursday since the current scheduling format began in 1991.
The early evening window was the top telecast of the day, with a 7.7 overnight across the four networks — up 4% from last year (7.4), up 13% from 2012 (6.8), and the top overnight in the window since 1991. The window included three overtime games: St. Joseph’s/Connecticut on TBS, N.C. State/St. Louis on TNT and North Dakota St./Oklahoma on TruTV.
The late evening telecast earned a 6.2, down 3% from last year (6.4), down 9% from 2012 (6.8), and the smallest overnight in the window since coverage aired exclusively on CBS in 2010.
Shifting to the afternoon, the early window drew a 4.6 overnight — up 12% from last year (4.1), up 18% from 2012 (3.9), and the top overnight in the window since 1991.
The late window scored a 5.4, down a tick from last year (5.5), up 4% from 2012 (5.2), and the second-best overnight in the window since ’91.
(Thu. numbers from Turner Sports; additional info from Sports Business Daily)
