A potentially strong NCAA Tournament got off to a slower start in the ratings.
The NCAA Tournament First Four grossed a 3.4 rating and 5.39 million viewers on TruTV, down 5% in ratings and 6% in viewership from last year (3.6, 5.75M) and down 5% and 8% respectively from 2017 (3.6, 5.88M). CBS and Turner count the First Four as a single telecast window in their NCAA Tournament averages.
Arizona State-St. John’s was the top draw, scoring a 1.1 and 1.76 million Wednesday night — down 15% in ratings and 19% in viewership from last year (Syracuse-Arizona State: 1.3, 2.16M), but up 13% and 9% respectively from 2017 (USC-Providence: 1.0, 1.62M).
Though down from last year, the Sun Devils’ win was the top sporting event of the night, topping the competing NBA games on ESPN.
Earlier Wednesday, North Dakota State-NC Central had a 0.7 (+30%) and 1.13 million (+30%), marking the only First Four game to increase.
On Tuesday, Belmont-Temple had a 1.0 and 1.54 million — down 10% in ratings and viewership from last year (St. Bonaventure-UCLA: 1.1, 1.71M) and down 12% and 15% respectively from 2017 (Kansas State-Wake Forest: 1.1, 1.81M). It was the least-watched matchup of at-large teams (aka 11 seeds) in the First Four since 2016 (Vanderbilt-Wichita State: 1.51M).
Finally, Fairleigh Dickinson-Prairie View A&M had a 0.6 (-5%) and 969,000 (-5%).
