Men's NCAA Tournament Hits 10.3M Avg Viewers, Best Since 1993

Nielsen data shows the men's NCAA tournament averaged 10.3 million viewers through the Elite Eight, a 9% increase over 2023 and the highest audience since 1993. The East Region final, where UConn edged Duke 73‑72, drew 13.4 million on CBS, while a 18.9‑million peak was reached when Braylon Mullins hit a last‑second 3‑pointer.

Friday’s early regional window, featuring Duke‑St. John’s on CBS and Michigan‑Alabama on TBS/truTV, averaged 14.2 million viewers, the most watched Friday early window since 1992. The Final Four and title game will air on TBS, TNT and truTV, while the women’s tournament on ESPN and ABC averaged 789,000 viewers through the Sweet 16, down 1% from last year.