This from CBS/Turner. The NCAA Tournament TV Collaborative is touting the overall tournament ratings which are up from last year. So far, the total average viewership is 9.4 million this year on the CBS/Turner networks as compared to 8.5 million last year. The ratings are 6.0 with a 13 share which are up 11% from 2010. That’s factoring the totals all of the networks involved, CBS/TBS/TNT/truTV.
But alone, CBS on Sunday received a 7.6 final rating with a 16 share. CBS says that’s even with last year. The press release is below.
THE 2011 NCAA® DIVISION I MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP ON TBS, CBS, TNT AND truTV DELIVERS MOST-WATCHED TOURNAMENT SINCE 2005 AVERAGING 9.4 MILLION TOTAL VIEWERS
CBS Sports’ and Turner Sports’ exclusive live coverage of the 2011 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV is the most-watched tournament since 2005, averaging 9.4 million total viewers, +11% from 8.5 million total viewers for CBS Sports’ 2010 coverage.
The overall tournament average-to-date, including the FIRST FOUR®, is a 6.0/13 rating/share, +11% from a 5.4/12 for 2010, according to Nielsen Fast Nationals. The 6.0/13 is the highest average rating for the NCAA Tournament through the Sunday regional finals since a 6.3/14 in 2005.
Coverage of the regional finals on CBS on Sunday, March 27 averaged 12.6 million total viewers, +6% from 11.9 million viewers from CBS Sports’ coverage in 2010. This year’s 12.6 million is the highest viewer average for the Sunday regional finals since 2005 (UNC-Wisconsin; Michigan State-Kentucky – 2OT). Sunday’s regional finals earned a household rating/share of 7.6/16, even with 2010.
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 – 3/27/11 vs. 2010 3/18/10 – 3/27/10. 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 will do it.
