Skip to main content

NCAA Tournament has best opening week on record, averaging 10.1 million viewers

By The Associated Press

The NCAA Tournament had its best first week on record, averaging 10.1 million viewers through the second round across CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV.

Tournament viewership is up 7% from last year, according to Nielsen. CBS and TNT began showing all of the games in 2011 after CBS had done early rounds in regional windows from 1991 through 2010.

The first round on Thursday and Friday averaged 9.5 million viewers — a 9% increase — while the second round on Saturday and Sunday averaged 11 million. That is the most-viewed second round since 1993 and a 7% jump from last year.

Sunday’s early prime-time window, featuring St. John’s-Kansas on CBS, Iowa-Florida on TBS and Virginia-Tennessee on TNT, averaged 19.7 million, making it the most-watched window in tournament history for the first week.

___

AP March Madness: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Cheryl Reeve steps away from the WNBA grind for a Hall of Fame induction

By The Associated Press
Cheryl Reeve is taking a break from her busy WNBA season to head to Knoxville this weekend and be inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. She's only the second WNBA coach to enter the Hall of Fame, joining former Houston Comets coach Van Chancellor, who was inducted in 2001. “(I appreciate) the magnitude of this recognition of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and the great work that has gone into this institution,” Reeve said. “To walk around and see the history of how much has been done years before I could ever have this opportunity to coach. Grateful to the WNBA because I think there was some consideration given schedule wise.” Reeve will be joined by WNBA greats Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne in this year's class. Parker and Delle Donne also will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame later this year. Other inductees include ESPN broadcaster Doris Burke, Kirkwood Community College coach Kim Muhl, Spanish star Amaya Valdemoro, French great Isabelle Fijalkowski and Clemson's all-time leading scorer and rebounder, Barbara Kennedy-Dixon.
Read Next Story

Related News

Events like the World Cup can inspire young athletes and put parents on unfamiliar turf

Celtics guard Derrick White takes role as president of basketball strategy with alma mater, Colorado

Mike Boynton promoted to interim coach at Michigan as Dusty May leaves for the NBA, AP sources say