UConn-Duke unforgettable on the court, unremarkable in the ratings

Key Points:

• The UConn-Duke NCAA men’s basketball regional final on CBS averaged 13.4 million viewers, a 15% increase from last year’s Michigan State-Auburn game, marking the third-largest audience for any pre-Final Four game since the tournament resumed in 2021.
• Despite UConn’s dramatic comeback win, the viewership was relatively average for the late Sunday Elite Eight window, which typically draws some of the highest audiences outside the Final Four.
• Previous Duke games in the same time slot attracted higher viewership, including 15.1 million in 2024 and 16.2 million in 2019, indicating this year’s game was less of a draw despite the exciting finish.
• Overall, the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight telecasts saw a combined 38% increase in viewership from last year, with the early Sweet 16 window averaging 14.2 million viewers, the highest since 1992.
• The full NCAA men’s basketball tournament is averaging 10.3 million viewers per window across all networks, up 9% from last year and the highest at this stage since 1993, partly influenced by Nielsen’s updated viewing measurement methods.