TVB: Final Four Delivers Super Audiences

2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Household ratings in Louisville, Ky., topped its Super Bowl ratings — twice. In fact, in many markets, the Super Bowl is the only event to deliver household ratings higher than the NCAA Final Four, according to an analysis of Nielsen NSI data by TVB.

“How big was the Louisville vs. Kentucky game in Louisville on Saturday?” asked Ron Salmon, TVB’s marketing research director. “It delivered a 48.4 HH rating /74 HH share. The Super Bowl delivered a 48.1 HH rating/66 HH share in that same market.”

The national live-plus-same day household rating was an 8.4. Louisville’s game rating was nearly 500% higher.

Home markets of other participating teams also delivered robust ratings. Columbus, Ohio, had a 36.9/56 for its Final Four game against Kansas, while it was a 28.1/48 in Kansas City. Ratings for the game were also strong in the other Ohio markets of Dayton (26.3), Cincinnati (25.5) and Cleveland (20.3).

The championship game delivered a 12.3 national live-plus-same day household rating.  Louisville’s rating was again the highest of any TV market, delivering a 51.1/66 as Kentucky topped Kansas for the national title. There were 26 other markets that out-delivered the national household rating, predominantly in the Southeast and Midwest.