Historical NCAA Men’s Final Four ratings and viewership, with figures for the national championship dating back to 1975 and the national semifinals dating back to 1997.
The 2015 Duke-Wisconsin national championship ranks as the highest rated college basketball game since 1999 and the most-watched since 1997 (16.0, 28.3M). The all-time record highs are a 24.1 rating and 35.1 million viewers for Michigan State-Indiana State on NBC in 1979.
Men’s Final Four Ratings History
All Turner games are TBS/TNT/TruTV simulcasts
Parentheses indicate that numbers include additional streaming viewing not tracked by Nielsen
2024
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
UConn – Purdue |
7.6 |
14.823M |
Turner |
| Late semi. |
UConn – Alabama |
6.7 |
14.117M |
Turner |
| Early semi. |
Purdue – NC State |
5.3 |
11.446M |
Turner |
2023
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
UConn – San Diego State |
7.8 |
14.694M |
CBS |
| Late semi. |
UConn – Miami |
6.4 |
12.855M |
CBS |
| Early semi. |
San Diego State – Florida Atlantic |
6.0 |
11.898M |
CBS |
2022
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Late semi. |
UNC – Duke |
8.6 |
17.663M
(18.5M) |
Turner |
| Champ. |
Kansas – UNC |
9.1 |
17.052M
(18.1M) |
Turner |
| Early semi. |
Kansas – Villanova |
5.75 |
11.701M |
Turner |
2021
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Baylor – Gonzaga |
9.4 |
17.081M |
CBS |
| Late semi. |
Gonzaga – UCLA |
7.6 |
15.390M |
CBS |
| Early semi. |
Baylor – Houston |
4.4 |
8.357M |
CBS |
2019
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Virginia – Texas Tech |
11.6 |
19.630M |
CBS |
| Late semi. |
Texas Tech – Michigan State |
9.1 |
15.840M |
CBS |
| Early semi. |
Virginia – Auburn |
7.6 |
12.967M |
CBS |
2018
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Villanova – Michigan |
9.2 |
15.967M
(16.5M) |
Turner |
| Early semi. |
Michigan – Loyola (IL) |
7.2 |
13.150M
(13.4M) |
Turner |
| Late semi. |
Villanova – Kansas |
6.8 |
13.092M
(13.3M) |
Turner |
2017
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
UNC – Gonzaga |
13.2 |
22.998M |
CBS |
| Late semi. |
UNC – Oregon |
10.4 |
18.825M |
CBS |
| Early semi. |
Gonzaga – South Carolina |
8.5 |
14.683M |
CBS |
2016
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Villanova – UNC |
10.6 |
17.752M |
Turner |
| Late semi. |
UNC – Syracuse |
7.3 |
12.939M |
Turner |
| Early semi. |
Villanova – Oklahoma |
6.1 |
10.451M |
Turner |
2015
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Duke – Wisconsin |
16.0 |
28.263M |
CBS |
| Late semi. |
Wisconsin – Kentucky |
12.4 |
22.626M |
Turner |
| Early semi. |
Duke – Michigan State |
8.7 |
15.307M |
Turner |
2014
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
UConn – Kentucky |
12.4 |
21.196M |
CBS |
| Late semi. |
Kentucky – Wisconsin |
9.2 |
16.250M |
Turner |
| Early semi. |
UConn – Florida |
6.9 |
11.654M |
Turner |
2013
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Louisville – Michigan |
14.0 |
23.426M |
CBS |
| Late semi. |
Syracuse – Michigan |
10.2 |
17.104M |
CBS |
| Early semi. |
Louisville – Wichita State |
8.7 |
14.469M |
CBS |
2012
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Kentucky – Kansas |
12.3 |
20.869M |
CBS |
| Late semi. |
Kansas – Ohio State |
9.6 |
16.603M |
CBS |
| Early semi. |
Kentucky – Louisville |
8.4 |
13.908M |
CBS |
2011
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
UConn – Butler |
11.7 |
20.055M |
CBS |
| Late semi. |
UConn – Kentucky |
9.5 |
16.715M |
CBS |
| Early semi. |
Butler – VCU |
8.3 |
14.189M |
CBS |
2010
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Duke – Butler |
14.2 |
23.944M |
CBS |
| Late semi. |
Duke – West Virginia |
9.2 |
15.823M |
CBS |
| Early semi. |
Butler – Michigan State |
8.6 |
14.460M |
CBS |
2009
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
UNC – Michigan State |
10.8 |
17.649M |
CBS |
| Late semi. |
UNC – Villanova |
8.5 |
14.454M |
CBS |
| Early semi. |
Michigan State – UConn |
7.8 |
12.583M |
CBS |
2008
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Kansas – Memphis |
12.1 |
19.501M |
CBS |
| Late semi. |
Kansas – UNC |
8.8 |
14.435M |
CBS |
| Early semi. |
Memphis – UCLA |
7.2 |
11.770M |
CBS |
2007
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Florida – Ohio State |
12.2 |
19.563M |
CBS |
| Late semi. |
Florida – UCLA |
8.9 |
14.371M |
CBS |
| Early semi. |
Ohio State – Georgetown |
8.4 |
13.229M |
CBS |
2006
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Florida – UCLA |
11.2 |
17.543M |
CBS |
| Early semi. |
Florida – George Mason |
9.1 |
14.492M |
CBS |
| Late semi. |
UCLA – LSU |
8.2 |
13.145M |
CBS |
2005
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
UNC – Illinois |
15.0 |
23.895M |
CBS |
| Late semi. |
UNC – Michigan State |
10.9 |
17.548M |
CBS |
| Early semi. |
Illnois – Louisville |
10.0 |
15.657M |
CBS |
2004
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
UConn – Georgia Tech |
11.0 |
17.088M |
CBS |
| Late semi. |
UConn – Duke |
10.5 |
16.736M |
CBS |
| Early semi. |
Georgia Tech – Oklahoma State |
8.3 |
12.944M |
CBS |
2003
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Syracuse – Kansas |
12.6 |
18.573M |
CBS |
| Late semi. |
Syracuse – Texas |
7.9 |
12.571M |
CBS |
| Early semi. |
Kansas – Marquette |
6.3 |
9.897M |
CBS |
2002
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Maryland – Indiana |
15.0 |
23.686M |
CBS |
| Late semi. |
Maryland – Kansas |
11.3 |
18.466M |
CBS |
| Early semi. |
Indiana – Oklahoma |
9.4 |
14.422M |
CBS |
2001
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Duke – Arizona |
15.6 |
23.970M |
CBS |
| Late semi. |
Duke – Maryland |
11.6 |
18.323M |
CBS |
| Early semi. |
Arizona – Michigan State |
9.1 |
13.202M |
CBS |
2000
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Michigan State – Florida |
14.1 |
20.587M |
CBS |
| Late semi. |
Florida – UNC |
10.2 |
15.245M |
CBS |
| Early semi. |
Michigan State – Wisconsin |
8.8 |
12.643M |
CBS |
1999
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
UConn – Duke |
17.2 |
26.304M |
CBS |
| Late semi. |
Duke – Michigan State |
10.9 |
16.990M |
CBS |
| Early semi. |
UConn – Ohio State |
9.2 |
13.646M |
CBS |
1998
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Kentucky – Utah |
17.8 |
26.601M |
CBS |
| Late semi. |
Utah – UNC |
12.7 |
19.403M |
CBS |
| Early semi. |
Kentucky – Stanford |
10.8 |
15.000M |
CBS |
1997
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Arizona – Kentucky |
18.9 |
28.364M |
CBS |
| Late semi. |
Kentucky – Minnesota |
12.5 |
19.324M |
CBS |
| Early semi. |
Arizona – UNC |
9.9 |
14.090M |
CBS |
1996
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Kentucky – Syracuse |
18.3 |
26.670M |
CBS |
1995
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
UCLA – Arkansas |
19.3 |
27.405M |
CBS |
1994
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Arkansas – Duke |
21.6 |
32.733M |
CBS |
1993
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
UNC – Michigan |
22.2 |
32.941M |
CBS |
1992
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Duke – Michigan |
22.7 |
34.310M |
CBS |
1991
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Duke – Kansas |
19.4 |
29.020M |
CBS |
1990
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
UNLV – Duke |
20.0 |
29.260M |
CBS |
1989
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Michigan – Seton Hall |
21.3 |
31.120M |
CBS |
1988
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Kansas – Oklahoma |
18.8 |
26.690M |
CBS |
1987
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Indiana – Syracuse |
23.1 |
32.060M |
CBS |
1986
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Louisville – Duke |
20.7 |
28.710M |
CBS |
1985
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Villanova – Georgetown |
23.3 |
31.230M |
CBS |
1984
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Georgetown – Houston |
19.7 |
25.140M |
CBS |
1983
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
N.C. State – Houston |
22.3 |
32.140M |
CBS |
1982
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
UNC – Georgetown |
21.6 |
30.589M |
CBS |
1981
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Indiana – UNC |
20.7 |
29.060M |
NBC |
1980
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Louisville – UCLA |
19.8 |
n.a. |
NBC |
1979
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Michigan State – Indiana State |
24.1 |
35.110M |
NBC |
1978
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Kentucky – Duke |
19.9 |
25.378M |
NBC |
1977
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Marquette – UNC |
19.3 |
26.400M |
NBC |
1976
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
Indiana – Michigan |
20.4 |
26.710M |
NBC |
1975
| Window |
Game |
Rtg. |
Vwrs |
Net(s) |
| Champ. |
UCLA – Kentucky |
21.3 |
30.085M |
NBC |
Leave a Reply