Two of the highest-profile teams in college basketball in an all-time classic did not equal a multi-year high in the metered markets.
North Carolina-Kentucky scored a 9.5 overnight rating in Sunday’s NCAA Tournament Elite Eight on CBS, up 44% from UNC-Syracuse last year, which aired on TBS in a later window (6.6), but down 4% from Duke-Gonzaga on CBS in 2015 (9.9). The 9.5 is also off 3% from the previous Tar Heels-Wildcats Elite Eight matchup in 2011 (9.8).
Given the slight declines in overnights, it is still possible that Sunday’s game will end up with a multi-year high in the final nationals.
The Tar Heels’ win, which peaked at a 13.6 during the dramatic conclusion from 7:15-7:30 PM ET, earned the fifth-best overnight for an Elite Eight game since at least 1998 — trailing the teams’ 2011 matchup, Duke-Gonzaga in ’15 and Duke-Baylor in 2010 (9.9 for both) and Michigan State-Kentucky in 2005 (10.8).
(Wknd. numbers via Turner Sports PR/Twitter 3.27)
