The NCAA Tournament continued to score on Saturday, as regional final coverage ratings jumped up from last year.
According to Nielsen Fast Nationals data, CBS averaged 9.4 million viewers for its presentation of Syracuse’s 55-39 win over Marquette and Wichita State holding on to shock Ohio State 70-66, up 6% from last year’s 8.9 million viewers. Regional final coverage on March 30 netted a 5.8 U.S. household rating and 12 share, 4% better than last year’s 5.6/12.
CBS Sports and Turner Sports’ exclusive coverage of the 2013 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV through March 30 has averaged 9.4 million total viewers to date, a 9% increase from last year’s 8.6 million viewers. The audience matched 1994 performance as the most watched NCAA Tournament through the Saturday regional finals in 19 years (10.7 million; 1993).
To date, this year’s version of March Madness averaged a 6.1/13, 9% amelioration from last year’s 5.6/12, tied with 2005 as the highest-to-date rating in 15 years (6.3/15; 1998).
