2017 Final Four TV Ratings Were Up 37 Percent

Ratings from last night’s Final Four game are in. North Carolina vs. Oregon drew an 11.5 rating and Gonzaga vs. South Carolina drew a 9.3 rating. The ratings were up 37 percent from last year combined and the second highest average rating since 2005.

This increase is not so surprising. Last year’s final four ratings plummeted by a similar amount with two egregious blowouts. Two close games were bound to do better. The Final Four was also on CBS this year instead of TBS.

Overall ratings for this year’s NCAA Tournament have been up 11 percent. That should be encouraging amidst steep declines for sports ratings in nearly every sport.