Ratings Roundup: More Than 18 Million Fans Tune Into 2026 NCAA Mens March Madness on TNT and CBS Sports

Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press releases and reports around the industry. In this week's edition, Inside Out Classic' animated NHL game up 74% from last year's animated alt-cast; ESPN sees 9.9 million viewers for final round of NCAA Women's March Madness tournament; and more.

TNT Sports & CBS Sports Deliver Most Watched NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship Game in Seven Years with 18.3 Million Viewers on TBS, TNT and truTV

CBS Sports and TNT Sports' coverage of Monday's National Championship Game - Michigan defeating UConn on TBS, TNT, truTV and HBO Max - averaged 18.3 million viewers, the most watched Championship Game since 2019. It was also the most-watched National Championship Game ever on TNT Sports, garnering a 23% increase vs. 2024 Championship Game on TNT Sports platforms. The telecast peaked with 20.4 million viewers from 11-11:15 p.m. ET.

The 2026 Men's Final Four averaged 14.2 million viewers, up 11% vs. 2024. Coverage included the Fab Five altcast during the Michigan-Arizona game, which was trending on social media throughout the night and delivered the most watched altcast on TNT Sports in eight years.

TNT Sports and CBS Sports' combined coverage of the 2026 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship set new marks across all platforms, including delivering the second most watched tournament since 1994 and culminating with the most watched in seven years.

Overall, the 2026 NCAA Tournament across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV averaged 10.9 million viewers, up 7% vs. last year, and the second-most watched Tournament since 1994.

CBS Sports and TNT Sports set new marks throughout this year's tournament, including the most watched First Four under the traditional format, the most watched First Round ever, and the most watched Second Round since 1993, as well as registering increases in every Sweet 16 and Elite 8 game window.

The 2026 NCAA Men's Tournament smashed records across social platforms, collectively setting a new all-time mark for NCAA Tournament content views by a wide margin with nearly 4 billion total views, up 191% vs. 2025.

March Madness men's basketball accounts generated 1.4 billion content views, up a whopping 189% vs. 2025 and a new all-time NCAA Men's Tournament record for the brand. Bleacher Report and House of Highlights also drew another 1.3 billion content views of NCAA Tournament content, setting a new all-time mark for those platforms.

NCAA, March Madness, Elite 8, Sweet 16, First Four, Final Four and Road to the Final Four are trademarks owned or licensed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

LINK:	https://www.sportsvideo.org/2026/04/10/ratings-roundup-more-than-18-mi...
	See more stories from svg

North America Stories