First Full Thursday of NCAA Tournament Coverage Averages 5.9 HH Rating Across TBS, CBS, TNT & truTV, Up 5% Over 2016
NCAA March Madness Live Generates 29 Million Live Video Starts for First Thursday, Up 19%, Along with All-Time Record for Concurrent Streams
CBS Sports and Turner Sports’ coverage of the 2017 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship – airing across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV – averaged a 5.9/14 HH rating/share to deliver the third highest-rated first Thursday since 1991, when the tournament expanded to its current television format. The 5.9 HH rating, based on Nielsen metered market delivery, is up 5% over last year (5.6/13).
The combined networks’ coverage also delivered increases in three game telecast windows:
- 4.4 HH rating from 12-4:15 p.m. ET, up 5% and tied with 2011 for the third highest rating in the window since 1991
- 5.7 HH rating from 2:45-7 p.m., up 16% and the second highest-rated delivery in the window since 1991
- 7.2 HH rating from 6:45-10 p.m., up 9%
Additionally, NCAA March Madness Live garnered 29 million live video starts over the first Thursday, up 19% over last year. Thursday’s first full day also set a new all-time record for concurrent streams at 2:15 p.m., coinciding with the conclusion of the Notre Dame and Princeton game.
Linear TV Source: Nielsen Media Research, metered market data for the 2017 NCAA Men’s College Basketball Tournament across CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV, Day 1, Thursday, compared historical NCAA Tournament through 1991. Digital Source: Conviva
