Just received from CBS/Turner, the last split telecasts of the NCAA Tournament took place on Friday and once again, the ratings and viewership were up from last year. Altogether, the nighttime doubleheader of the Southwest Regional and the East Regional semifinals took in a 7.0 rating with a 14 share on CBS/TBS, up 13% from last year on CBS. In addition, an average viewership of 11.3 million people watched the games.
Overall, the total average viewership of the Tournament as a whole is 9 million which is up 13% from 2010. We have the CBS/Turner press release.
THE 2011 NCAA® DIVISION I MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP ON TBS, CBS, TNT AND truTV MOST-WATCHED TOURNAMENT IN 17 YEARS WITH MORE THAN 9.0 MILLION TOTAL VIEWERS
Friday’s Regional Semi-Finals Delivers 11.3 Million Total Viewers, 7.0 US HH Rating +13% 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 is the most-watched tournament in 17 years (1994), delivering more than 9.0 million total viewers, +13% from 8.0 million total viewers for CBS Sports’ 2010 coverage. The overall tournament average-to-date, including the FIRST FOUR®, is a 5.8 U.S. HH rating/ 13 share, +14% from a 5.1 U.S. HH rating/12 share for 2010, according to Nielsen Fast Nationals.
Coverage of the regional semi-finals on TBS and CBS on Friday, March 25 combined to deliver 11.3 million total viewers, +13% from 10.0 million total viewers for CBS Sports’ 2010 coverage, and a household rating/share of 7.0 U.S. HH rating/ 14 share, +13% from a 6.2 U.S. HH rating/12 share for 2010.
The overall tournament average-to-date continues to deliver double-digit growth in key adult and male demos over 2010, including:
- A18-34 +36% (2,321 vs. 1,712)
- A18-49 +17% (4,269 vs. 3,651)
- A25-54 +13% (4,384 vs. 3,875)
- M18-34 +37% (1,564 vs. 1,144)
- M18-49 +20% (2,991 vs. 2,489)
- M25-54 +18% (3,093 vs. 2,629)
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 – 3/25/11 vs 2010 3/18/10 – 3/26/10. 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.
That is all.
