Another press release from CBS/Turner Sports must mean good news for the NCAA Tournament and it does. Friday’s Sweet 16 action which included an exciting overtime Kansas-Michigan game which ended in a Wolverines win, scored in the ratings and in viewership.
CBS and TBS saw a big Fast National household rating of 8.2 and a 16 share, up a whopping 22% from last year’s 6.7/12. And viewership for the four games split evenly among CBS and TBS averaged 13.1 million viewers, again up by 20% from 2012’s 10.9 million.
For the tournament to date, CBS/Turner is averaging 9.4 million viewers which is the most since 1993. As my friend, Amanda Rykoff points out, Michigan was last in the Final Four in … 1993.
So here’s the press release from CBS and Turner Sports.
2013 NCAA® Division I Men’s Basketball Championship on TBS, CBS, TNT and truTv Scores as Most Watched Tournament-to-Date in 20 Years, Averaging 9.4 Million Total Viewers
Friday’s Regional Semi-Finals Deliver 13.1 Million Total Viewers; Most Viewed in 20 Years
NCAA Tournament Viewership and Ratings Up 9% vs. 2012
CBS Sports and Turner Sports’ exclusive coverage of the 2013 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV is averaging 9.4 million total viewers to date, up 9% from last year’s 8.6 million viewers, and is the highest average for the NCAA Tournament through the Friday Regional Semi-Finals in 20 years (10.5 million; 1993).
The 2013 NCAA Tournament to date, is averaging a national HH rating/share of 6.1/13, up 9% from last year’s 5.6/12, and is the highest-to-date rating in 15 years (6.2/14; 1998).
Friday’s Regional Semi-Final coverage across CBS and TBS was the most-watched in 20 years, averaging 13.1 million viewers, up 20% from last year’s 10.9 million viewers.
Regional Semi-Final coverage on Friday earned a Fast National HH rating/share of 8.2/16, up 22% from last year’s 6.7/12, and the highest average Friday Regional Semi-Final rating in 19 years (8.6/17; 1994).
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Source: Nielsen Media Research, based on Fast National Data, Live +SD data stream. 3/19/13 to 3/29/13 vs. 03/13/12 to 03/31/12. 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.
That is all.
