The NCAA basketball tournament is drawing great ratings

http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/

FROM KEITH GROLLER

As usual, the first week of the NCAA tournament featured its share of surprises in reducing the field from 68 to 16.

TV viewers couldn't wait for the tournament to finally get here and couldn't get enough of the early-round action, which featured its share of close finishes.

Here's a release from CBS and Turner noting that the TV ratings have been better than they've been in a long time:

2014 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship Averaging 9.2 Million Viewers; Highest Viewership in 21 Years

CBS Sports and Turner Sports’ exclusive coverage of the 2014 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship – across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV – is delivering its highest viewership in 21 years (since 1993). Through its opening week, the NCAA Tournament is averaging9,227,000 viewers, up 4% through the same period last year (8,885,000 viewers), based on Nielsen Fast Nationals. 

Through its first six days, the tournament is averaging a 5.9/13 U.S. HH rating/share, up 2% over a 5.8/12 U.S. HH rating/share to date in 2013.  The 5.9/13 U.S. HH rating/share is tied with 1998 as the highest rating for the opening week of the tournament in 17 years (since 1997).

This year’s NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship has netted audience growth through each stage – the First Four, second and third rounds.

NCAA Tournament action will continue with the Regional Semifinals on Thursday, March 27, and Friday, March 28 (7:00 PM-12:00 AM, ET) with all games available in their entirety on TBS and CBS.  Coverage will begin both nights with the Infiniti NCAA Tip-Off pregame show at 6 p.m. on TBS.