In its fourth year, the first two First Four games now stand as the highest-rated and most-viewed of the opening March Madness telecasts on truTV.
The network's doubleheader coverage from Dayton, Ohio of Albany's win over Mount Saint Mary and North Carolina State’s eviction of Xavier averaged a 0.9 U.S. household rating and 1.4 million watchers, according to Nielsen data. The numbers respective gains of 29% and 22 over last year's First Four opening twinbill.
TruTV's exclusive coverage of the NC State-Xavier contest from 9 p.m. to 11:15 p.m. earned a 1.1 rating and 1.7 million viewers to become the highest-rated and most-viewed NCAA First Four telecast since the format was adopted in 2011. The telecast, peaking with a 1.2 rating and 1.9 million total viewers in the 9:30 p.m. (ET) half-hour, was up 38% in ratings and 42% among total viewers from the comparable game last year.
(Photo Credit: AP Photo/Al Behrman)
