CBS and Turner are averaging 9.3 million viewers for coverage of the NCAA Tournament through Sunday, marking the most-watched tourney through the first Sunday in 24 years. This year’s tournament average to this point is also up 10% compared to 8.5 million viewers last year. For Sunday’s coverage alone, CBS and Turner combined for 11.9 million viewers. That is up 34% from ’16 (8.9 million) and marks the most-watched first Sunday in 24 years. Meanwhile, March Madness Live has garnered a record 69.1 million live streams through Sunday, up 24% over last year (THE DAILY).
RATHER BE BLUE BLOODS: The AP noted Sunday's games featured some of "college basketball's most notable power programs: Kentucky, Duke, North Carolina, Louisville, UCLA and Kansas." Six of the eight games played were "decided by seven points or less, with South Carolina upsetting Duke in prime time" (AP, 3/20). ESPN's J.A. Adande said of Duke and Villanova being eliminated, "It's not good for the tournament going forward, it's not good for TV in particular, when the big names go out." ESPN's Tony Reali: "Nobody's going to be crying for TV" ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 3/20). ESPN’s Mike Greenberg said, “Having slightly fewer upsets gave us better matchups going into the weekend. ... You didn't have a lot of teams that most people never heard of playing into even the first weekend, much less the second weekend. ... You have a lot of the big teams that are still left in it. I think that actually helps.” Greenberg: “It is ridiculous, the numbers that people that are watching it, and it has been good” (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 3/21).
HE SAID, SHE SAID: NCAA Dir of Media Coordination & Statistics David Worlock "denied that anyone from NCAA asked" Kentucky Sports Radio's Drew Franklin to remove a video of Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall’s wife, Lynn, who was reportedly cursing loudly from the stands during Sunday's Kentucky-WSU game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. In Philadelphia, Rob Tornoe cited sources as saying that the order to take down the video came from a Pacers employee, acting on a request from WSU, which "cited the NCAA's rules on posting video during a game." However, Kentucky Sports Radio's Matt Jones "claims Worlock is lying." Jones said, "David told me personally after the game to take the video down. This is totally false" (PHILLY.com, 3/20).
THE LEGEND: In Greensboro, Brant Wilkerson-New notes Duke play-by-play announcer Bob Harris "signed off on his legendary broadcasting career for the last time" on Sunday following Duke's loss to South Carolina in the tournament's second round. Harris' call of Duke's loss was the 1,395th basketball game of his 41-year run at Duke that also saw him "broadcast 471 straight football games." Harris said, "With a couple of minutes left, I was kind of expecting it, and it happened." Harris "finished his broadcast with a speech he recorded on Sunday afternoon, wrapping up his hall of fame career by thanking everyone that helped him along the way" (Greensboro NEWS & RECORD, 3/21).
