CBS/Turner Sports is certainly happy about this year’s NCAA Tournament. The average rating for the 67 games on CBS/TBS/TNT/tru TV was 6.7 with a 14 share. That’s up 10% from 2012’s 6.1/13. It’s the highest average rating for the tournament dating back to 2005 when the entire run was solely on CBS.
The average viewership was an impressive 10.7 million which is up 11% from 9.6 million in 2012. And it’s the highest average viewership in 19 years which was 11.2 million.
For the National Championship Game on Monday night, CBS saw the fast national household rating resulting in 14.0/22 which is up big from last year’s 12.3/19. And the average viewership was 23.4 million which is in comparison on a par with the best Sunday Night Football audiences.
Here’s the press release from CBS/Turner.
2013 NCAA® Division I Men’s Basketball Championship on TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV is Most-Watched Tournament in 19 Years
2013 Championship Game Scores with Double Digit Increases in Rating and Viewers
Louisville’s Win Delivers Rating/Share of 14.0/22 and 23.4 Million Total ViewersThe 2013 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship across CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV is the most-watched NCAA Tournament in 19 years, according to Nielsen. The 2013 NCAA Tournament averaged 10.7 million total viewers, up 11% from last year’s 9.6 million total viewers, and is the highest average for the NCAA Tournament in 19 years (11.2 million; 1994).
The National Championship game, which saw Louisville defeat Michigan on CBS on Monday, April 8, earned an average fast national household rating/share of 14.0/22, up 14% from last year’s 12.3/19 (Kentucky-Kansas). The National Championship game averaged 23.4 million viewers, up 12% from last year’s 20.9 million.
The championship game coverage peaked in HH rating/share with a 16.1/27 and average viewers with 27.1 million, from 11-11:30 p.m. ET.
Coverage for the entire 2013 NCAA Tournament across Turner Sports and CBS Sports averaged a HH rating/share of 6.7/14, up 10% from last year’s 6.1/13, and is the highest average NCAA Tournament rating in eight years (6.9/15; 2005).
Source: Nielsen Media Research, based on Live +SD data stream. 3/19/13 to 04/09/13 vs. 03/13/12 to 04/02/12. 2013, 2012 and 2011 averages based on weighted average of four telecast gross across CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. Historical audiences, CBS 1991 through 2005 based on Live data. 2006 through 2012 based on Live + SD. 2003 based on CBS/ESPN average of First Round.
Quite impressive.
