Men’s NCAA Tournament TV ratings best in 30-plus years

As the Final Four approaches, some blocks of the 2026 men's NCAA Tournament have been the most watched in more than 30 years, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel numbers released Wednesday.

CBS Sports and TNT Sports averaged 10.3 million viewers through last weekend's Elite Eight, making it the most watched NCAA Tournament over two weekends since 1993. Those numbers are up 9%.

The UConn-Duke thriller in the Elite Eight peaked at 18.9 million viewers for the conclusion and averaged...