The news is good for CBS/Turner on two fronts. While there were no upsets on Saturday unlike Friday, ratings were up for the NCAA Tournament by 3% from last year. Yesterday’s rating registered a 6.1, up from a 5.9 last year. In addition, the Tournament averaged 9.3 million viewers which was even with last year.
And the tournament overall is averaging a 5.3 rating through Saturday, up from last year’s 5.1 average by 4%.
We have the press blurb from CBS/Turner.
2012 NCAA® Division I Men’s Basketball Championship on TBS, CBS, TNT and truTv Most-Watched Tournament in 18 Years
Saturday’s 6.1 U.S. HH Rating +3% Over 2011
CBS Sports and Turners Sports’ exclusive coverage of the 2012 NCAA® Division I Men’s Basketball Championship across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV is the most-watched tournament in 18 years.
This year’s event is averaging a 5.3 U.S. HH rating through Saturday, up 4% compared with a 5.1 rating in 2011 and an increase of 15% over a 4.6 rating in 2010 (according to Nielsen Fast Nationals). The corresponding average of eight million viewers this year is +3% over last year’s 7.8 million viewers and +14% compared with seven million viewers in 2010.
Saturday’s coverage across the four networks delivered the highest-rated and most-watched first Saturday of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship since 2007. Yesterday’s coverage averaged a 6.1 U.S. HH rating, +3% over last year’s 5.9 rating and an increase of 13% over a 5.4 rating in 2010. The corresponding 9.3 million viewers were even with last year and +11% vs. 8.4 million viewers in 2010.
Source: Nielsen Media Research, based on Fast National Data, Live +SD data stream. 3/13-3/17/12 vs 3-15-3/19/11. 2011 and 2012 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 2012 based on Live + SD. 2003 based on CBS / ESPN average of First Round.
That will do it.
