Once again, we get a press release from CBS/Turner about the increased ratings for the NCAA Tournament. Combined overnight ratings for CBS/TBS/TNT/truTV on Sunday grew to a 7.3 with a 14 share which is 14% higher than last year. Overall, the tournament’s ratings are up 17% from 2010. We’ll get the final numbers on Sunday later, but CBS/Turner have to be ecstatic over this.
THE 2011 NCAA® DIVISION I MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP ON CBS, TBS, TNT AND truTV DELIVERS 17% GROWTH IN OVERALL TOURAMENT RATINGS
Sunday’s Third-Round Coverage up 14%
CBS Sports’ and Turner Sports’ exclusive live coverage of the 2011 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV combined, ties with 1993 and 1991 as the best overall tournament-to-date average ratings in the metered markets through the first week of games since the tournament expanded coverage to all live games. The overall tournament average-to-date, including the FIRST FOUR®, in the metered markets is a 6.2/14, up +17% from a 5.3/12 for CBS Sports’ 2010 coverage according to Nielsen.
Third-round coverage on Sunday, March 20 combined to deliver an overnight household rating/share of 7.3/14, up 14% from a 6.4/13 for CBS Sports’ 2010 coverage.
The 7.3/14 ties with a 7.3/17 (1998) as the highest rating for the first Sunday of the Tournament in the metered markets since a 7.5/19 17 years ago.
More coming up later.
