Turner Networks, showing the 2 Final Four games on TBS (National Broadcast) and TNT/TruTV (teams' broadcast), had their highest TV ratings in decades (combined totals).

Michigan State vs Duke had a 9.6 TV rating, highest Final Four rating in a decade.

Kentucky vs Wisconsin had a 13.3 TV rating, highest TV rating in 22 years.

Toward the end of the UK/Wisconsin game...TV rating hit 16.

Both games ended up with a combined 11.4 overall rating...highest in 20 years and 39% higher than last year's Final Four broadcast.

Also, since these games were on cable, these games became the highest rated college basketball games ever broadcast on cable. (Believe all the previous Final Fours were on Network TV, CBS most years). CBS gets the Final Four next year and will continue to rotate with Turner for next 9 years.

Not sure how tonight's tv ratings will go...as the UK/Wisconsin game seems like it was a Championship Game.

The final will have a lower viewership than the Wisconsin - UK game, UK was about to do something many thought impossible with the modern recruiting regulations, and that meant more viewers than this game normally would.

(04-06-2015 07:51 AM)UCF08 Wrote:  The final will have a lower viewership than the Wisconsin - UK game, UK was about to do something many thought impossible with the modern recruiting regulations, and that meant more viewers than this game normally would.

Yeah...definitely think that's how it will happen...as if UK was going for 40-0, which had never been done before (past undefeated college teams had a max of 34 wins), would have attracted a lot of casual users.

Tonight should just be "another" college basketball championship game...and do well in ratings but I would be shocked if it set or came close to a record rating over past 20 years.

Everyone wanted to see Kentucky lose. And the other game just happened to be on when the majority of folks tuned in to see UK/Wisky game.

I didn't watch a second of it, and I traveled 2000 miles to watch Tulsa in the tournament before. It is unwatchable - painfully boring, low scoring, and uninteresting.

(04-06-2015 08:33 AM)MemphisTigerFreak Wrote:  Everyone wanted to see Kentucky lose. And the other game just happened to be on when the majority of folks tuned in to see UK/Wisky game.

But that "other game" included Duke...another team many fans tune in to hopefully see lose....which is why that game also had very high ratings (highest in 10 years).

What are the numbers in the Chicago market? Those numbers should be pretty high in Chicago tonight, because Coack K, Jalil Okafor and Frank Kaminsky are all from Chicago.

Is it just me or are Calipari's best team always had Chicago players on them?

Yes I am trolling, because is the King of high school basketball; and we can do that.

I didn't watch either game, and don't plan on watching the nc game.

Duke vs UK would have made CBS a lot of money

(04-06-2015 11:19 AM)NBPirate Wrote:  Duke vs UK would have made CBS a lot of money

would the outcome have been different if ESPN was airing it? Not saying CBS/TBS doesnt care about money, but they at least seem to have a first class broadcast with great announcers compared to ESPN. I hope it stays on CBS/TBS for as long as possible.

CBS at least pretends it seems to care about the mid major or somewhat the integrity of the game I guess. Maybe not, but more so than ESPN

(04-06-2015 11:51 AM)gopirates11 Wrote:  

(04-06-2015 11:19 AM)NBPirate Wrote:  Duke vs UK would have made CBS a lot of money

would the outcome have been different if ESPN was airing it? Not saying CBS/TBS doesnt care about money, but they at least seem to have a first class broadcast with great announcers compared to ESPN. I hope it stays on CBS/TBS for as long as possible.

CBS at least pretends it seems to care about the mid major or somewhat the integrity of the game I guess. Maybe not, but more so than ESPN

The ESPN exposure is one of the biggest things the AAC has going for it...

Who said it was "unwatchable"?

(04-06-2015 11:57 AM)blunderbuss Wrote:  Who said it was "unwatchable"?

Some coach associated with a truly unwatchable "sport"