Continuing a weekend of multi-year highs, the first game of Sunday’s Elite Eight doubleheader was the highest rated since 1999.
Last Sunday’s Michigan State/Louisville NCAA Tournament Elite Eight game drew a 6.7 final rating and 10.6 million viewers on CBS, up 10% in ratings and 8% in viewership from Connecticut/Michigan State last year (6.1, 9.8M) and up 18% and 13%, respectively, from Michigan/Florida in 2013 (5.7, 9.4M).
The 6.7 rating is tied as the highest for the early Sunday Elite Eight window since Temple/Duke in 1999 (6.8), matching North Carolina/Wisconsin in 2005.
The Spartans’ win was one of three Elite Eight games to at least tie a ten year ratings high. Duke/Gonzaga tied the highest rating for any Elite Eight game since 2005, and Kentucky/Notre Dame game earned the highest rating for a Saturday Elite Eight game since 2005.
(Wknd. numbers via Sports Business Daily)
