Ratings and viewership for the NCAA Tournament were the highest in well over a decade.
The 2015 NCAA Tournament averaged a combined 7.0 rating and 11.3 million viewers on CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV, according to Nielsen fast-nationals — up 8% in ratings and viewership from last year (6.5, 10.5M) and up 5% and 6%, respectively, from 2013 (6.7, 10.7M).
This year’s tournament ranks as the highest rated since 1998 (7.3) and the most-watched since 1993 (12.7M). The previous highs over those respective periods were a 6.9 in 2005 and 11.2 million in 1994.
Since averaging a 5.6 rating in 2008, the second-lowest under the current scheduling format, ratings for the NCAA Tournament have increased in five of the past seven years. The tournament has now averaged at least a 6.5 rating in three straight years, after failing to hit that mark in nine of the previous ten.
The tournament averages were boosted by some of the largest college basketball audiences in years. Duke/Wisconsin (16.0, 28.3M) was the highest rated championship game since 1999 and the most-watched since 1997. Wisconsin/Kentucky (12.4, 22.6M) was the highest rated Final Four semifinal since 1998 and the most-watched since 1996. Each of the tournament’s final seven games, encompassing the Elite Eight and Final Four, hit a multi-year high.
Average ratings and viewership for the individual telecasts (rather than the combined telecast windows) were not available.
(This year’s tournament averages from CBS/Turner Sports)
