We’re still getting used to the concept of the four NCAA Tournament play-in games. And while the NCAA tries to make it sound nice with “First Four™”, they still have a long way before they’re engrained into the national consciousness. However, truTV which airs the games can hang its hat on higher ratings from the year before.
Total viewership reached 4.477 million people. That’s up from 3.937 million last year. Average rating for the four games was a 2.9 household rating up 12% from last year.
In addition, Wednesday night’s doubleheader saw a 22% hike in viewership from 2012.
Let’s take a look at what CBS/Turner is saying about the First Four™ numbers.
NCAA First Four™ on truTV Delivers 14 Percent Audience Growth
The NCAA First Four™ on truTV grossed 4,477,000 total viewers, an increase of 14 percent over 3,937,000 total viewers for last year’s comparable telecasts, based on Nielsen Fast Nationals. The corresponding 2.9 U.S. HH rating for the four telecasts this year is up 12 percent over a 2.6 U.S. HH rating in 2012.
Wednesday night’s doubleheader on truTV (March 20) grossed 2,250,000 total viewers to become the most-watched second day of the First Four™. Wednesday’s coverage – LIU-Brooklyn vs. James Madison at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by Boise State vs. La Salle at 9:15 p.m. – grossed a 1.5 U.S. HH rating, up 25 percent compared with last year’s 1.2 U.S.HH rating. Viewership was up 22 percent when compared with last year’s 1,840,000 total viewers.
Tuesday’s First Four™ doubleheader on truTV (March 19) grossed 2,227,000 total viewers, up six percent when compared with an average of 2,097,000 total viewers for last year’s comparable telecasts. The Tuesday night doubleheader – North Carolina A&T vs. Liberty at 6:30 p.m., followed by Middle Tennessee vs. St. Mary’s (Calif.) at 9:15 p.m. – grossed a 1.5 U.S. HH rating, which was even with last year’s first two telecasts.
For the third consecutive year, Turner Sports and CBS Sports are providing live coverage of all 67 games from the 2013 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship across four national television networks – TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV.
Source: Nielsen Media Research. Based on Live+SD. 2013 NCAA First Four on truTV based on Nielsen Fast National data (03/19/2013 to 03/20/13) compared 2012 and 2011 game dates of the First Four on truTV .
That’s all.
