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NCAA Viewership Soars to 1993 Highs!
1 Apr
Summary
- Men's tournament viewership highest since 1993.
- UConn-Duke Elite Eight game averaged 13.4 million viewers.
- Women's tournament ratings slightly decreased from last year.
The men's NCAA basketball tournament has achieved its highest average viewership since 1993, drawing 10.3 million viewers up to the Elite Eight stage. This represents a 9% increase compared to last year's tournament. A standout game was UConn's nail-biting 73-72 victory over Duke in the East Region final, which garnered an average of 13.4 million viewers on CBS.
The audience for the UConn-Duke game reached a peak of 18.9 million viewers during the final dramatic moments. Furthermore, the regional finals on Friday, featuring Duke-St. John's and Michigan-Alabama, averaged 14.2 million viewers, marking the most-watched Friday early window for regional finals since 1992. The upcoming Final Four and championship game will be broadcast across TBS, TNT, and truTV.
In contrast, the women's NCAA tournament, broadcast on ESPN's networks and ABC, has seen a slight 1% decrease in viewership. Through Saturday's Sweet Sixteen games, the tournament is averaging 789,000 viewers. Ratings for the regional finals on Sunday and Monday are anticipated to be released soon.
