Texas Tech-Michigan State drew a 9.4 overnight, up from an 8.1 for Villanova-Kansas last yearGETTY IMAGES
CBS averaged an 8.8 overnight rating for the men’s Final Four doubleheader on Saturday night, up 13% from a 7.8 on Turner networks last year, but down 15% from two years ago, when the games aired on CBS. Texas Tech-Michigan State in the late window Saturday drew a 9.4 overnight, up from an 8.1 across TNT, TBS and truTV for Villanova-Kansas last year. Two years ago, North Carolina-Oregon in the late window on CBS drew a 10.9. In this year’s early window, Virginia’s last-second win over Auburn drew an 8.1 overnight, flat compared to Michigan-Loyola Chicago on TBS/TNT/truTV last year, but down from an 8.9 for Gonzaga-South Carolina two years ago. On digital, March Madness Live saw a 14% increase in live streams for Saturday’s doubleheader (Austin Karp, THE DAILY).
MISSED CALL, MADE BROADCAST: AWFUL ANNOUNCING's Andrew Bucholtz noted the first "on-broadcast mention" of a missed double-dribble call on Virginia G Ty Jerome in the closing seconds of Virginia-Auburn came from CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore, who Jim Nantz "brought in for comment" after Tracy Wolfson's post-game interview with Virginia coach Tony Bennett. The CBS/Turner post-game panel then discussed the missed call a bit "partway through their breakdown of the game, generally saying it should have been called, but not being too highly critical of the officials who missed it." But the officiating criticism then "escalated thanks to a surprising source," boxer Deontay Wilder, who "went off on the refs" in a post-game appearance with Greg Gumbel. CBS then "brought Steratore to the post-game show set to break down the missed double-dribble call further." In all, the net "seemed to handle this pretty well," showing "just how good of a decision it proved to be" to use Steratore as a rules analyst for the tournament (AWFULANNOUNCING.com, 4/6).
