This post is going to be a little more useful than last week’s. Here are ratings for all 67 games of the NCAA Tournament, every game of the NIT on traditional television, and every game or coverage window of the women’s tournament. The top four games of the tournament all involved Kentucky; their Elite 8 and third round games both did better than the other Final Four game, though curiously the much-hyped matchup between Kentucky and Louisville not only did worse than all those games, but another third-round game involving North Carolina. Kentucky was also involved in the most-watched second-round game. Only two NCAA Tournament games not on truTV did worse than the most watched NIT game, the championship game. Meanwhile, the top seven women’s games involved at least one of the two undefeated teams, Connecticut or Notre Dame.
CBS numbers from Sports Media Watch, Turner and ESPN numbers from Son of the Bronx. 18-49 numbers, when available, from TVbytheNumbers and The Futon Critic. Click here to learn more about how to read the charts.
Most Watched NCAA Tournament Games
| Vwr (mil) | HH | 18-49 | Time | Net | ||
|
1 |
NCAA Basketball Championship Game: Kentucky v. Connecticut |
21.196 |
12.4 |
7.2 |
4/7 9:00 PM |
CBS |
|
2 |
NCAA Tournament Final Four: Kentucky v. Wisconsin |
16.25 |
9.1 |
5.2 |
4/5 9:00 PM |
TBS+TNT +truTV |
|
3 |
NCAA Tournament Elite Eight: Kentucky v. Michigan |
14.639 |
8.9 |
4.7 |
3/30 4:55 PM |
CBS |
|
4 |
NCAA Tournament Third Round: Kentucky v. Wichita State |
12.091 |
7.5 |
3/23 3:00 PM |
CBS | |
|
5 |
NCAA Tournament Final Four: Connecticut v. Florida |
11.654 |
6.8 |
3.4 |
4/5 6:00 PM |
TBS+TNT +truTV |
|
6 |
NCAA Tournament Third Round: Iowa State v. North Carolina |
11.62 |
7 |
4.0 |
3/23 5:30 PM |
CBS |
|
7 |
NCAA Tournament Sweet 16: Kentucky v. Louisville |
10.089 |
5.9 |
3.6 |
3/28 9:45 PM |
CBS |
|
8 |
NCAA Tournament Elite Eight: Wisconsin v. Arizona |
9.967 |
5.8 |
3.2 |
3/29 8:30 PM |
TBS |
|
9 |
NCAA Tournament Elite Eight: Connecticut v. Michigan State |
9.795 |
6.1 |
3/30 2:00 PM |
CBS | |
|
10 |
NCAA Tournament Sweet 16: Tennessee v. Michigan |
8.319 |
5 |
2.3 |
3/28 7:15 PM |
CBS |
|
11 |
NCAA Tournament Third Round: Michigan v. Texas |
7.77 |
4.9 |
3/22 5:00 PM |
CBS | |
|
12 |
NCAA Tournament Third Round: Louisville v. Saint Louis |
7.447 |
4.9 |
3/22 2:30 PM |
CBS | |
|
13 |
NCAA Tournament Sweet 16: UCLA v. Florida |
7.234 |
4.7 |
0.6 |
3/27 9:45 PM |
CBS |
|
14 |
NCAA Tournament Elite Eight: Dayton v. Florida |
7.203 |
4.3 |
2.4 |
3/29 6:00 PM |
TBS |
|
15 |
NCAA Tournament Sweet 16: Dayton v. Stanford |
7.109 |
4.6 |
2.0 |
3/27 7:15 PM |
CBS |
|
16 |
NCAA Tournament Third Round: Stanford v. Kansas |
7.068 |
4.6 |
3/23 12:00 PM |
CBS | |
|
17 |
NCAA Tournament Third Round: Oregon v. Wisconsin |
6.908 |
4.1 |
2.2 |
3/22 8:00 PM |
CBS |
|
18 |
NCAA Tournament Third Round: Florida v. Pittsburgh |
5.555 |
3.7 |
3/22 12:00 PM |
CBS | |
|
19 |
NCAA Tournament Sweet 16: Michigan State v. Virginia |
5.086 |
3.0 |
1.6 |
3/28 10:00 PM |
TBS |
|
20 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round: Kansas State v. Kentucky |
4.651 |
3 |
1.5 |
3/21 9:45 PM |
CBS |
|
21 |
NCAA Tournament Third Round: Dayton v. Syracuse |
4.019 |
2.3 |
1.5 |
3/22 7:00 PM |
TBS |
|
22 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round: Wofford v. Michigan |
3.79 |
2.5 |
1.0 |
3/20 7:10 PM |
CBS |
|
23 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round: Providence v. North Carolina |
3.735 |
2.3 |
1.2 |
3/21 7:30 PM |
TNT |
|
24 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round: Arizona State v. Texas |
3.637 |
2.4 |
1.3 |
3/20 9:45 PM |
CBS |
|
25 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round: Mercer v. Duke |
3.583 |
2.7 |
3/21 12:15 PM |
CBS | |
|
26 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round: Dayton v. Ohio State |
3.407 |
2.4 |
3/20 12:15 PM |
CBS | |
|
27 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round: Cal Poly v. Wichita State |
3.324 |
2.2 |
1.0 |
3/21 7:10 PM |
CBS |
|
28 |
NCAA Tournament Third Round: Memphis v. Virginia |
3.29 |
2.1 |
1.0 |
3/23 8:48 PM |
TNT |
|
29 |
NCAA Tournament Sweet 16: San Diego State v. Arizona |
3.282 |
2.0 |
1.4 |
3/27 10:00 PM |
TBS |
|
30 |
NCAA Tournament Third Round: Connecticut v. Villanova |
3.145 |
1.8 |
1.4 |
3/22 9:52 PM |
TBS |
|
31 |
NCAA Tournament Sweet 16: Connecticut v. Iowa State |
3.105 |
1.8 |
1.0 |
3/28 7:15 PM |
TBS |
|
32 |
NCAA Tournament Third Round: Harvard v. Michigan State |
3.1 |
1.7 |
1.0 |
3/22 8:40 PM |
TNT |
|
33 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round: NC State v. Saint Louis |
3.085 |
1.9 |
1.2 |
3/20 7:15 PM |
TNT |
|
34 |
NCAA Tournament Sweet 16: Baylor v. Wisconsin |
3.025 |
1.9 |
1.0 |
3/27 7:30 PM |
TBS |
|
35 |
NCAA Tournament Third Round: Gonzaga v. Arizona |
2.898 |
1.8 |
1.2 |
3/23 9:44 PM |
TBS |
|
36 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round: Tennessee v. Massachusetts |
2.801 |
2.1 |
3/21 2:45 PM |
CBS | |
|
37 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round: St. Joseph’s v. Connecticut |
2.797 |
1.7 |
1.2 |
3/20 6:45 PM |
TBS |
|
38 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round: Delaware v. Michigan State |
2.716 |
1.7 |
0.9 |
3/20 4:55 PM |
TNT |
|
39 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round: Manhattan v. Louisville |
2.604 |
1.7 |
1.1 |
3/20 10:25 PM |
TNT |
|
40 |
NCAA Tournament Third Round: Mercer v. Tennessee |
2.497 |
1.5 |
0.8 |
3/23 6:00 PM |
TNT |
|
41 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round: Connecticut v. Villanova |
2.467 |
1.5 |
0.9 |
3/21 9:40 PM |
TBS |
|
42 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round: Western Michigan v. Syracuse |
2.423 |
1.8 |
3/20 2:45 PM |
CBS | |
|
43 |
NCAA Tournament First Four: Tennessee v. Iowa |
2.227 |
1.4 |
0.8 |
3/19 9:15 PM |
truTV |
|
44 |
NCAA Tournament Third Round: North Dakota State v. San Diego State |
2.047 |
1.2 |
0.8 |
3/22 6:00 PM |
TNT |
|
45 |
NCAA Tournament Third Round: Stephen F. Austin v. UCLA |
2.021 |
1.2 |
0.7 |
3/23 7:00 PM |
TBS |
|
46 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round |
1.947 |
1.4 |
0.7 |
3/21 4:30 PM |
TBS |
|
47 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round |
1.944 |
1.4 |
0.7 |
3/21 4:45 PM |
TNT |
|
48 |
NCAA Tournament Third Round: Baylor v. Creighton |
1.865 |
1.1 |
0.6 |
3/23 8:00 PM |
truTV |
|
49 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round |
1.854 |
1.2 |
0.7 |
3/21 10:00 PM |
TNT |
|
50 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round |
1.837 |
1.2 |
0.7 |
3/20 4:00 PM |
TBS |
|
51 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round: North Dakota State v. Oklahoma |
1.707 |
1.1 |
0.6 |
3/20 7:45 PM |
truTV |
|
52 |
NCAA Tournament First Four: NC State v. Xavier |
1.651 |
1.1 |
0.6 |
3/18 9:05 PM |
truTV |
|
53 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round |
1.61 |
1.0 |
0.6 |
3/21 8:00 PM |
truTV |
|
54 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round |
1.606 |
1.0 |
0.7 |
3/20 2:00 PM |
TNT |
|
54 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round |
1.606 |
1.0 |
3/20 2:00 PM |
TNT | |
|
56 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round: Dayton v. Syracuse |
1.54 |
1.0 |
0.6 |
3/21 6:45 PM |
TBS |
|
57 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round: Milwaukee v. Villanova |
1.398 |
0.9 |
0.6 |
3/20 9:50 PM |
TBS |
|
58 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round |
1.238 |
0.8 |
0.5 |
3/21 11:00 PM |
truTV |
|
59 |
NCAA Tournament First Four: Mount St. Mary’s v. Albany |
1.065 |
0.7 |
0.4 |
3/18 6:30 PM |
truTV |
|
60 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round: New Mexico State v. San Diego State |
1.032 |
0.7 |
0.5 |
3/20 10:55 PM |
truTV |
|
61 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round |
1.01 |
0.7 |
3/21 3:21 PM |
truTV | |
|
62 |
NCAA Tournament First Four: Texas Southern v. Cal Poly |
0.986 |
0.7 |
0.3 |
3/19 6:00 PM |
truTV |
|
63 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round |
0.917 |
0.7 |
3/21 1:30 PM |
TBS | |
|
64 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round |
0.75 |
0.5 |
3/20 12:30 PM |
truTV | |
|
65 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round |
0.622 |
0.4 |
3/20 2:57 PM |
truTV | |
|
66 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round |
0.606 |
0.5 |
3/21 12:30 PM |
truTV | |
|
67 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round |
0.508 |
0.3 |
3/20 1:30 PM |
TBS |
Most Watched Women’s NCAA Tournament Games
| Vwr (mil) | HH | 18-49 | Time | Net | ||
|
1 |
NCAA Women’s Basketball Champ.: Connecticut v. Notre Dame |
4.271 |
2.8 |
1.1 |
4/8 8:30 PM |
ESPN |
|
2 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, Final 4: Connecticut v. Stanford |
2.312 |
1.5 |
0.6 |
4/6 8:45 PM |
ESPN |
|
3 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, Final 4: Notre Dame v. Maryland |
1.806 |
1.2 |
0.4 |
4/6 6:30 PM |
ESPN |
|
4 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, Sweet 16: BYU v. Connecticut |
1.469 |
0.9 |
3/29 4:38 PM |
ESPN | |
|
5 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, Elite 8: Connecticut v. Texas A&M |
1.32 |
0.9 |
0.3 |
3/31 9:45 PM |
ESPN |
|
6 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, Elite 8:
Baylor @ Notre Dame |
1.27 |
0.8 |
0.3 |
3/31 7:30 PM |
ESPN |
|
7 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, Sweet 16: Oklahoma State @ Notre Dame |
1.194 |
0.8 |
3/29 2:37 PM |
ESPN | |
|
8 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, Sweet 16: Maryland v. Tennessee |
1.048 |
0.7 |
3/30 12:00 PM |
ESPN | |
|
9 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, Elite 8: North Carolina @ Stanford |
1.019 |
0.7 |
4/1 9:15 PM |
ESPN | |
|
10 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, Elite 8: Maryland @ Louisville |
0.967 |
0.7 |
4/1 7:00 PM |
ESPN | |
|
11 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, Sweet 16: Kentucky v. Baylor |
0.87 |
0.6 |
3/29 12:00 PM |
ESPN | |
|
12 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, 2nd Round |
0.864 |
0.5 |
3/24 9:00 PM |
ESPN2 | |
|
13 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, Sweet 16: North Carolina v. South Carolina |
0.772 |
0.5 |
3/30 7:00 PM |
ESPN2 | |
|
14 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, Sweet 16: DePaul v. Texas A&M |
0.556 |
0.4 |
3/29 7:03 PM |
ESPN | |
|
15 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, 2nd Round |
0.551 |
0.4 |
3/25 9:30 PM |
ESPN2 | |
|
15 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, 1st Round |
0.551 |
0.3 |
3/22 4:00 PM |
ESPN2 | |
|
17 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, 2nd Round |
0.534 |
0.4 |
3/25 7:00 PM |
ESPN2 | |
|
18 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, 2nd Round |
0.486 |
0.3 |
3/24 6:30 PM |
ESPN2 | |
|
19 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, 1st Round: Prairie View A&M @ Connecticut |
0.474 |
0.3 |
3/23 8:00 PM |
ESPN | |
|
20 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, 1st Round |
0.469 |
0.3 |
3/23 5:30 PM |
ESPN | |
|
21 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, Sweet 16: LSU @ Louisville |
0.447 |
0.3 |
3/30 2:30 PM |
ESPN2 | |
|
22 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, 1st Round |
0.436 |
0.2 |
3/22 6:30 PM |
ESPN2 | |
|
23 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, 1st Round |
0.433 |
0.3 |
3/23 3:00 PM |
ESPN | |
|
24 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, Sweet 16: Penn State @ Stanford |
0.373 |
0.3 |
3/30 4:30 PM |
ESPN2 | |
|
25 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, 1st Round:
Notre Dame v. Robert Morris |
0.317 |
0.2 |
3/22 1:30 PM |
ESPN | |
|
26 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, 1st Round |
0.288 |
0.2 |
3/22 11:00 AM |
ESPN2 | |
|
27 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, 1st Round |
0.274 |
0.2 |
3/22 1:30 PM |
ESPN2 | |
|
28 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, 1st Round |
0.224 |
0.2 |
3/23 12:30 PM |
ESPN2 | |
|
29 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, 1st Round |
0.196 |
0.1 |
3/23 8:00 PM |
ESPN2 | |
|
30 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, 2nd Round: Connecticut v. St. Joseph’s |
0.144 |
0.1 |
3/25 7:00 PM |
ESPNU | |
|
31 |
NCAA Women’s Tournament, 2nd Round: Notre Dame v. Arizona State |
0.103 |
0.1 |
3/24 6:30 PM |
ESPNN |
Most Watched NIT Games
| Vwr (mil) | HH | 18-49 | Time | Net | ||
|
1 |
NIT Championship: SMU v. Minnesota |
1.308 |
0.9 |
0.4 |
4/3 7:00 PM |
ESPN |
|
2 |
NIT Round 1: West Virginia @ Georgetown |
0.994 |
0.7 |
3/18 7:00 PM |
ESPN | |
|
3 |
NIT Octofinal: Illinois @ Clemson |
0.974 |
0.7 |
3/23 11:00 AM |
ESPN | |
|
4 |
NIT Quarterfinal: Southern Miss @ Minnesota |
0.948 |
0.6 |
0.3 |
3/25 9:00 PM |
ESPN |
|
5 |
NIT Round 1: Indiana State @ Arkansas |
0.903 |
0.6 |
0.3 |
3/18 9:00 PM |
ESPN |
|
6 |
NIT Quarterfinal: Belmont @ Clemson |
0.831 |
0.6 |
0.3 |
3/25 7:00 PM |
ESPN |
|
7 |
NIT Octofinal: Georgetown @ Florida State |
0.771 |
0.5 |
3/24 7:00 PM |
ESPN | |
|
8 |
NIT Semifinal: Minnesota v. Florida St. |
0.76 |
0.6 |
4/1 9:30 PM |
ESPN2 | |
|
9 |
NIT Octofinal: LSU @ SMU |
0.675 |
0.5 |
0.2 |
3/24 9:00 PM |
ESPN |
|
10 |
NIT Octofinal: Louisiana Tech @ Georgia |
0.664 |
0.5 |
3/22 11:00 AM |
ESPN | |
|
11 |
NIT Round 1: Illinois @ Boston Univ. |
0.609 |
0.4 |
3/19 7:00 PM |
ESPN2 | |
|
12 |
NIT Quarterfinal: California @ SMU |
0.573 |
0.4 |
3/26 9:24 PM |
ESPN2 | |
|
13 |
NIT Semifinal: Clemson v. SMU |
0.553 |
0.4 |
4/1 7:00 PM |
ESPN2 | |
|
14 |
NIT Round 1: Davidson @ Missouri |
0.548 |
0.4 |
3/18 9:14 PM |
ESPN2 | |
|
15 |
NIT Quarterfinal: Louisiana Tech @ Florida State |
0.498 |
0.4 |
3/26 7:00 PM |
ESPN2 | |
|
16 |
NIT Round 1: UC Irvine @ SMU |
0.475 |
0.3 |
3/19 9:03 PM |
ESPN2 | |
|
17 |
NIT Octofinal: Arkansas @ California |
0.39 |
0.3 |
3/24 11:15 PM |
ESPN2 | |
|
18 |
NIT Round 1: Florida Gulf Coast @ Florida State |
0.377 |
0.3 |
3/18 7:00 PM |
ESPN2 | |
|
19 |
NIT Round 1: Utah @ St. Mary’s |
0.308 |
0.2 |
3/18 11:10 PM |
ESPN2 | |
|
20 |
NIT Octofinal: St. Mary’s @ Minnesota |
0.204 |
0.1 |
3/23 3:00 PM |
ESPN2 | |
|
21 |
NIT Round 1: Vermont @ Georgia |
0.145 |
0.1 |
3/19 8:00 PM |
ESPNU | |
|
22 |
NIT Octofinal: Southern Miss @ Missouri |
0.129 |
0.1 |
3/23 5:30 PM |
ESPNU | |
|
23 |
NIT Round 1: LSU @ San Francisco |
0.124 |
0.1 |
3/19 10:01 PM |
ESPNU | |
|
24 |
NIT Round 1: Georgia State @ Clemson |
0.12 |
0.1 |
3/18 9:03 PM |
ESPNU | |
|
25 |
NIT Round 1: Robert Morris @ St. John’s |
0.068 |
0.0 |
3/18 7:00 PM |
ESPNU | |
|
26 |
NIT Octofinal: Robert Morris @ Belmont |
0.026 |
0.0 |
3/21 9:30 PM |
ESPNU |