Chart updated with persons 2+ audiences for the four games played Thursday, March 26, 2015 (Day 1 of 2 in Sweet 16 Round):
- Telecast 53: CBS 7 pm #3-Notre Dame 81 #7-Wichita State 70 (ND up 33-30 at half)
- Telecast 54: CBS 9:49 pm #1-Kentucky 78 #5-West Virginia 39 (Kentucky up 44-18 at half)
- Telecast 55: TBS 7:47 pm #1-Wisconsin 79 #4-Univ North Carolina 72 (UNC up 33-31 at half)
- Telecast 56: TBS 10:26 pm #2-Arizona 68 #6-Xavier 60 (28-28 tie at half)
A great night for TBS Thursday and a very average night for CBS.
Tournament to Date Ratings Averages
NCAA Basketball Tournament averages for Persons 2+ live+same day. Through the second Thursday of the tournament (the first of two days for the Sweet 16 round). Averages now include the CBS daytime games for the first Thursday-Sunday of the tournament, as broadcast ratings outside of prime time significantly lag prime time ratings.
CBS is now tracking slightly behind 2014 (though still well ahead of 2012 and 2013), while TBS is well ahead of the last three years thanks to two very good games last night. The tournament as a whole is tracking slightly ahead of last year’s pace. The downturn in CBS’s 2015 numbers have more to do with the relatively soft daytime numbers from the first few days of the tournament rather than the very average prime time numbers from last night.
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NCAA Basketball Tournament: PERSONS 2+ Audience Averages through second Thursday (telecasts 1-56) |
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| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | ||
| CBS | 5,363,000 | 5,611,000 | 5,931,000 | 5,841,000 | |
| TNT | 1,856,000 | 2,198,000 | 2,429,000 | 2,450,000 | |
| TBS | 2,220,000 | 2,375,000 | 2,272,000 | 2,563,000 | |
| TRU | 1,177,000 | 1,278,000 | 1,260,000 | 1,348,000 | |
| All Nets | 2,854,000 | 3,065,000 | 3,181,000 | 3,256,000 | |
Updated tournament to date averages for the key sports sales demographic of men 18-49. Like persons 2+, the men 18-49 numbers show softness for CBS but slight upgrades for the cable partners.
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NCAA Basketball Tournament: MEN 18-49 Rating Averages through second Thursday (telecasts 1-56) |
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| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | ||
| CBS | 2.57 | 2.61 | 2.70 | 2.52 | |
| TNT | 0.98 | 1.15 | 1.27 | 1.32 | |
| TBS | 1.26 | 1.31 | 1.28 | 1.32 | |
| TRU | 0.69 | 0.70 | 0.66 | 0.73 | |
| All Nets | 1.46 | 1.53 | 1.57 | 1.55 | |
NEXT UPDATE: On Monday we will have ratings for the four games played on Friday, March 27, the conclusion of the Sweet 16 round.
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