Prime-time NCAA Tournament games average 12.2 million viewers, the most for the 1st round
The game ball sits on the court during the second half between Duke and Mount St. Mary's in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, March 21, 2025, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Chris Carlson]
NEW YORK (AP) — Thursday night’s NCAA Tournament games were the most-watched prime-time first-round slate in March Madness history, averaging 12.2 million viewers across CBS, TNT, TBS and truTV. The most-watched game in the prime-time window was Arkansas’ 79-72 victory over Kansas on CBS. The other early prime-time games were Tennessee-Wofford on TNT, Yale-Texas A&M on TBS and Drake-Missouri on truTV. Overall, Thursday’s 16 games averaged 9.1 million viewers, a 6% increase over last year.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.