CBS’ Eight-day NCAA Tourney Average Down 6.3% From ’05

CBS is averaging a 5.9/13 final Nielsen rating through the first eight days of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, marking a 6.3% decrease from a 6.3/14 last year but an increase of 1.7% from the 5.8/13 in ’04. Sunday’s two regional final games averaged a 6.9/14, down 22.5% from a 8.9/20 last year. The first game, featuring George Mason-Connecticut, drew a 6.0/13, while the second game between Florida and Villanova drew a 7.8/15. Saturday’s games averaged a 6.5/14, down 16.7% from a 7.8/16 last year. The first game, LSU-Texas, earned a 6.1/14, and the second game, UCLA-Memphis, earned a 6.9/13. The following presents final Nielsen ratings for each of CBS’ broadcast windows for the regional semifinals last Thursday and Friday and the regional finals on Saturday and Sunday (THE DAILY).

FINAL NIELSEN RATINGS FOR CBS' NCAA TOURNAMENT REGIONAL SEMIS AND FINALS
WINDOW	'06	'05	%+/-	'04	% +/-
REGIONAL SEMIS (3/23)
7:00-10:00pm	7.6/13	6.9/12	10.1%	6.2/11	22.6%
10:00pm-12:30am	7.1/13	6.9/12	2.9%	7.2/13	-1.4%
DAY AVG.	7.4/13	6.9/12	7.2%	6.7/12	10.4%
REGIONAL SEMIS (3/24)
7:00-10:00pm	6.2/11	7.3/14	-15.1%	5.7/11	8.8%
10:00pm-1:00am	6.5/13	7.6/14	-14.5%	6.3/13	3.2%
DAY AVG.	6.3/12	7.5/15	-16.0%	6.0/12	5.0%
REGIONAL FINALS (3/25)
4:30-7:00pm	6.1/14	6.9/16	-11.6%	5.1/13	19.6%
7:00-9:40pm	6.9/13	8.7/16	-20.7%	7.3/15	-5.5%
DAY AVG.	6.5/14	7.8/16	-16.7%	6.1/14	6.6%
REGIONAL FINALS (3/26)
2:30-5:15pm	6.0/13^	6.7/17	-10.4%	5.2/13	15.4%
5:15-7:30pm	7.8/15	10.4/22	-25.0%	8.6/18	-9.3%
DAY AVG.	6.9/14	8.9/20	-22.5%	6.8/15	1.5%
8-DAY TOURNAMENT AVG.	5.9/13	6.3/14	-6.3%	5.8/13	1.7%

UCLA Lone Traditional Basketball Powerhouse To Make Final Four

NOTE: ^ = Fast-national rating.

NO MAKEGOODS: CBS News & Sports President Sean McManus said, “We had some of the best ratings we had in 15 years last year. This year the ratings basically are tied with the best since 1999. We’re pleased with them, and we don’t owe any advertisers any money through this weekend.” McManus added, “Ideally, going into this weekend, you’d like to have one or more traditional national basketball (powers). We do have UCLA, which falls into that category” (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 3/28).

RATINGS NOTES: CBS “easily won” the 7:00pm ET Sunday time slot with the overrun from the Florida-Villanova game, and placed second for the night among total viewers and among adults 18-49 (N.Y. TIMES, 3/28). Following CBS’ Sunday tournament coverage, “60 Minutes” averaged 19.3 million viewers and a 4.9/12 among adults 18-49 at 8:00pm for Ed Bradley’s interview with Tiger Woods (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 3/28)....CBS’ coverage of Florida-Villanova and NBC’s final-round coverage of the PGA Tour Players Championship went head-to-head from 5:15-6:30pm. In Jacksonville, where the Players Championship took place, WTLV-NBC drew a 12.2/19 and WTEV-CBS earned an 11.4/17 during the overlap (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 3/28).

PETTY DAVIS EYES: In N.Y., Bob Raissman notes CBS college basketball studio analyst Seth Davis during a remote interview with George Mason coach Jim Larranaga and his team after they had advanced to the Final Four said, “Hey Jim, this is Seth. Frankly I’m too excited to think of a question to ask [C] Jai Lewis. I want you to turn to him next to you, stick the microphone in his face and ask him a good question that he can answer for America.” Raissman: “Even by normal network standards this was embarrassing” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/28).

JIM DANDY: Larranaga appeared yesterday on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” and “PTI,” ESPN2’s “Cold Pizza,” FSN’s “BDSSP,” CNN and three DC-area radio shows (USA TODAY, 3/28).