The NCAA Tournament got off to a slower start on CBS and Turner Sports.
First round coverage of the NCAA Tournament averaged a combined 5.6 overnight rating across CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV Thursday, down 15% from last year (6.6) and down 7% from 2014 (6.0) The 5.6 is tied with 2012 as the lowest for the opening day of the tournament since 2010, the last year the games aired regionally on CBS (4.6).
Overnights for the individual games were not immediately available.
Despite the lower numbers, Thursday’s coverage still tied the fifth-highest overnight for the opening day of the NCAA Tournament since the current scheduling format began in 1991. Each of the six highest rated years has taken place since Turner Sports acquired rights.
(Thu. numbers via Sports Business Daily)
