NCAA Tournament Sets Viewership Record for First Two Rounds

NCAA Tournament sets viewership record for first two rounds

March Madness delivered a first-week ratings surge, with the men's NCAA Tournament averaging 10.1 million viewers across CBS, TNT, TBS and truTV, making it the most-watched tournament ever through the first two rounds, according to Nielsen Big Data.

NCAA Tournament has best opening week on record, averaging 10.1 million viewers

The NCAA Tournament had its best first week on record, averaging 10.1 million viewers through the second round across CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV

TV Ratings: NCAA Men’s Tournament Early Rounds Set Viewing Record

CBS Sports and TNT Sports averaged 10.1 million viewers for the first two rounds of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, a record high.

HBCU Sparks Most-Watched NCAA Tournament First Round Ever

The opening day of the 2026 NCAA Tournament didn’t just deliver drama—it delivered history. And an HBCU program played a key role in driving it. According to Nielsen data, first-round coverage across CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV averaged 9.8 million viewers, making it the most-watched opening day in tournament history. That figure marked a 6% increase from 2025 and continued a steady rise in March Madness viewership. Within those record numbers sits…