Duke-Wisconsin National Championship Game Averages 28.3 Million Viewers; Highest Average Viewership in 18 Years

NCAA March Madness Live Sets All-Time Record with 80.7 Million Live Video Streams & 17.8 Million Hours of Live Video Consumption

       The 2015 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV is the most-watched NCAA Tournament in 22 years, according to Nielsen Fast National ratings.  The 2015 NCAA Tournament averaged 11.3 million total viewers, up 8% from last year (10.5 million viewers), and is the highest average viewership for the NCAA Tournament in 22 years (12.7 million; 1993). 

       The National Championship game, which saw Duke defeat Wisconsin, averaged 28.3 million total viewers, up 33% from last year (21.3 million) and is the most-viewed NCAA title game in 18 years (28.4 million; Arizona/Kentucky in 1997).  The Duke/Wisconsin game earned an average fast national household rating/share of 16.0/26, up 28% from last year’s 12.5/20 (Connecticut/Kentucky). 

       The Championship game broadcast peaked with a HH rating/share of 18.7/32 and 33.4 million average viewers from 11:00-11:15 PM, ET.

       This year’s NCAA Tournament averaged a HH rating/share of 7.0/15, up 8% from last year (6.5/13).

       Additionally, NCAA March Madness Live generated several all-time records including 80.7 million live video streams and 17.8 million hours of live video consumption during this year’s tournament.  This year’s live video streams are up 17% over last year, with hours of live video consumption up 19% this year.  NCAA March Madness Live also delivered all-time records for Monday’s National Championship with 3.4 million live video streams and one million hours of live video consumption. 

       The NCAA Tournament grossed a record 350 million total social impressions across Facebook and Twitter for a 45% increase over 2014.

Source: Nielsen Media Research, Arianna, Live +SD data stream. 3/18/14 – 4/7/14 vs. 3/17/15 – 4/6/15.   2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011 averages based on weighted average of 4 telecast gross across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV. Historical audiences, CBS 1991 through 2005 based on Live data. Conviva, Adobe Analytics for digital metrics. Facebook Insights and Twitter for social analytics.

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Media Contacts:

Nate Smeltz, 404-827-4786, nate.smeltz@turner.com

Dan Sabreen, 212-975-5936, dsabreen@cbs.com