The lack of upsets during the first week of the NCAA tournament led to discourse of zero and the transmission portal damages the sport in the long term.
None of that prevented the tournament from meeting any record numbers for viewership.
The first two rounds in the tournament were an average of 9.4 million viewers per match over CBS, TNT, TBS and Trutv – the highest average audience for the first week since 1993, according to Nielsen on Tuesday. This increased by 4 percent on last year’s brand of 9.04 million.
The tournament set an opening day record on Thursday by an average of 9.1 million viewers per Nielsen. The momentum continued into the round of 32 with an average viewer of 10.2 million over the weekend, which made it the most looked at 32 since 2017.
Part of the equation: By 2020, Nielsen started counting from the home at facilities such as restaurants and sports bars. The number of high-profile programs that play-incur-Duke, Kentucky, UCLA and UCONN-Can also contributed together with a high interest rate match on Saturday between Rick Pitinos St. John’s Squad and John Caliparis Victorious Arkansas Razorbacks.
Kentucky’s victory in the second round over Illinois on Sunday drew an average of 15.3 million viewers, Nielsen found.
The first four round (quartet for Play-in games on Tuesday and Wednesday) also made a record 7.4 million viewers on Trutv.
-Field level media
