This just in from CBS/Turner Sports. The ratings for the start of the NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinals turn out to be very good once again for the CBS/Turner Sports consortium. With CBS and TBS airing the Sweet Sixteen games from New Orleans and Anaheim, the final total average ratings turned out to be 7.6 with a 14 share, up 15% from CBS’ solo coverage last year. And it’s the highest ratings for the Sweet Sixteen Thursday games since 1994. An average audience of 8.8 million viewers watched the games last night.
We have your press release from CBS/Turner.
THE 2011 NCAA® DIVISION I MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP ON TBS, CBS, TNT AND truTV DELIVERS MOST TOTAL VIEWERS FOR THE TOURNAMENT IN 17 YEARS AND +14% OVERALL RATINGS GROWTH THROUGH THURSDAY
Thursday’s Regional Semi-Finals Also Score Highest Rating in 17 Years, 15% and Deliver 12 Million Total Viewers, +14% Over 2010
Turner Sports’ and CBS Sports’ exclusive live coverage of the 2011 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship across CBS, TBS TNT and truTV combined to deliver the most total viewers in 17 years (1994) with 8.8 million total viewers, +13% over CBS Sports’ 7.8 million total viewers in 2010.
The overall tournament average-to-date, including the FIRST FOUR®, is a 5.7 U.S. HH rating/13 share, +14% from a 5.0 U.S. HH rating/11 share for CBS Sports’ 2010 coverage according to Nielsen Fast Nationals.
Coverage of the regional semi-finals on CBS and TBS on Thursday, March 24 combined to deliver a household rating/share of 7.6 U.S. HH rating/14 share, +15% from a 6.6 U.S. HH rating/12 share for CBS Sports’ 2010 coverage. The networks also averaged 12 million total viewers, +14% over CBS Sports’ 10.5 million total viewers in 2010.
The 7.6 U.S. HH rating/14 share was the highest rating for the Thursday regional semi-finals since an 8.2 U.S. HH rating/16 share in 17 years (1994).
The first telecast window of the night combined to earn a 7.4 U.S. HH rating/14 share, +23% from a 6.0 U.S. HH rating/11 share last year.
The second window of the night delivered a 7.8 U.S. HH rating/15 share, +10% from a 7.1 U.S. HH rating /13 share last year.
The overall tournament average-to-date continues to deliver double-digit growth in key adult and male demos over 2010, including:
- A18-34 +36% (2,308 vs. 1,698)
- A18-49 +17% (4,182 vs. 3,584)
- A25-54 +13% (4,290 vs. 3,792)
- M18-34 +38% (1,563 vs. 1,129)
- M18-49 +21% (2,957 vs. 2,441)
- M25-54 +19% (3,058 vs. 2,573)
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 – 3/24/11 vs 2010 3/18/10 – 3/25/10. 2011 averages based on weighted average of 4 telecast gross across CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. Dates of the NCAA Tournament historical audiences, CBS 1994 through 2005 based on Live data. 2006 through 2010 based on Live + SD. 2003 based on CBS / ESPN average of First Round.
Overall, very good numbers once again.
