TV Ratings: March Madness Scores

The men’s NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament is delivering record-breaking television audiences through the first two rounds, with games across CBS, TNT, TBS, and truTV averaging 10.1 million viewers—up 7% from last year and the first time the tournament has surpassed the 10 million mark at this stage.

The strong performance follows a record-setting opening round, with Thursday and Friday games averaging 9.5 million viewers, the highest first-round audience on record and a 9% increase over 2025. Second-round games on Saturday and Sunday averaged 11 million viewers, ranking as the second-most-watched since 1993 and up 7% year-over-year.

Sunday’s early primetime window set another milestone, drawing 19.7 million viewers—making it the most-watched window of the tournament’s opening weekend. The slate featured several close, high-profile matchups, including a 67–65 win for St. John’s over Kansas, Iowa’s 73–72 upset of top-seeded Florida, and Tennessee’s 79–72 victory over Virginia.

The tournament now moves into the Sweet 16, with coverage airing Thursday and Friday on CBS, TBS, and truTV. Three No. 1 seeds remain in contention, while No. 11 Texas stands as the lowest seed still in the field, reflecting a bracket with fewer traditional Cinderella runs beyond the Round of 32.

Elite Eight games will follow over the weekend on CBS and TBS as March Madness continues its strong ratings momentum.