Just received this from CBS/Turner in regards to the final ratings and viewership numbers for Sunday’s third round NCAA Tournament games. CBS/TBS/TNT/truTV had a combined average rating of 6.6 with a 14 share. That’s 16% higher than last year when the games on CBS received a 5.7/13. Average viewership for the games was 10.5 million viewers and that’s the first time in this tournament that viewership has passed over the 10 million viewer mark. The tournament is averaging 8.4 million viewers thus far.
CBS/Turner is averaging 5.5/13 for the tournament which is up 15% than in 2010. So good news for the CBS/Turner consortium. Here’s the press release.
THE 2011 NCAA® DIVISION I MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP ON TBS, CBS, TNT AND truTV DELIVERS +15% RATINGS GROWTH AND AVERAGES 8.4 MILLION TOTAL VIEWERS FOR FIRST WEEK OF TOURNAMENT
Highest Average Total Viewers for First Week of Tournament in 17 Years
Sunday’s Third-Round Coverage Delivers +18% Growth in Total ViewersTurner Sports’ and CBS Sports’ exclusive live coverage of the 2011 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship across CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV combined, scores with the highest average total viewers through the first week of games in 17 years. The overall tournament average-to-date, including the FIRST FOUR®, is a 5.5/13, up +15% from a 4.8/11 for CBS Sports’ 2010 coverage according to Nielsen Fast Nationals.
TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV averaged 8.4 million total viewers, up +14% over CBS Sports’ 7.4 million total viewers in 2010.
Overall, the 2011 NCAA tournament has delivered 81.3 people 2+, up +17% from 69.6 viewers for CBS Sports’ 2010 coverage.
Third-round coverage on Sunday, March 20 combined to deliver an average fast national household rating/share of 6.6/14, up +16% from a 5.7/13 for CBS Sports’ 2010 coverage. The 6.6/14 ties with a 6.6/15 (2005) as the highest rating for the first Sunday of the Tournament since a 7.2/17, 11 years ago (2000).
Sunday’s coverage averaged 10.5 million viewers, up +18% from last year’s 8.9 million viewers.
The overall tournament average-to-date continues to deliver double-digit growth in key adult and male demos over 2010, including:
- A18-34 +40% (2,247 vs. 1,609)
- A18-49 +18% (4,011 vs. 3,397)
- A25-54 +15% (4,136 vs. 3,611)
- M18-34 +40% (1,516 vs. 1,080)
- M18-49 +23% (2,848 vs. 2,322)
- M25-54 +21% (2,973 vs. 2,460)
Source: Nielsen Media Research, based on Fast National Data, Live +SD data stream. 2011 NCAA Tournament Dates, include First Four telecast gross. Dates of NCAA Tournament: 2011 3/15/11 – 3/20/11 vs 2010 3/18/10 – 3/21/10. 2011 averages based on weighted average of 4 telecast gross across CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. Historical audiences, CBS 1991 through 2005 based on Live data. 2006 through 2010 based on Live + SD. 2003 based on CBS / ESPN average of First Round. Total Viewer Reach based on 6 minute qualifer for NCAA Tournament to-date (CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV) vs. 2010 CBS.
That’s going to do it for now. Back later.
