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Monday Final Nationals: Despite Late-Game Dramatics, NCAA National Championship Dips to Seven-Year Viewer Low in Cable Bow

ABC was Monday’s most-watched network in prime time with an average of 9.97 million total viewers

TBS topped all among adults 18-49 (3.1 rating), adults 18-34 (2.6 rating) and adults 25-54 (3.4 rating), thanks to the “National Championship” of NCAA Men’s Div. I Basketball. It was the first time in the history of the tournament that its national title game would air on cable. On this night, it aired on three Turner cable networks: the national broadcast on TBS (13.853 million total viewers), the North Carolina “Team Stream” on TNT (3.127 million) and the Villanova “Team Stream” on truTV (772,000).

Villanova’s victory over North Carolina peaked with an average of 22.3 million total viewers and a 16.5 household coverage rating/13.2 U.S. household rating from 11:15-11:30 p.m. ET, during the final moments of the game. Based on quarter-hour delivery, the audience grew 51 percent from the start of the game leading up to its epic conclusion.

At a combined 17.752 million total viewers across three networks for Villanova’s dramatic 77-74 victory over North Carolina, it was the least-watched National Championship since North Carolina-Michigan State on Apr. 6, 2009 (17.65 million from CBS). The game’s combined 5.9 adults 18-49 rating was its lowest-rated on record (dating back to 2002).

Villanova-North Carolina declined by 37 percent from the year-ago game that had aired on CBS (Duke-Wisconsin, 28.263 million, 4/06/15), which set the mark as the most-watched title game since 1997.

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Programming Insider Monday, April 4, 2016
PROGRAM HH/Share Viewers
(000)		 Adults
18-34		 Adults
18-49		 Adults
25-54
8-11 Network Average 6.5/11 9969 1.0/4 1.5/5 2.1/6
8:00 Dancing with the Stars 7.6/12 11722 1.2/5 1.7/6 2.4/7
10:01 Castle 4.1/7 6372 0.7/3 1.1/3 1.5/4
PROGRAM HH/Share Viewers
(000)		 Adults
18-34		 Adults
18-49		 Adults
25-54
8-11 Network Average 3.8/6 5917 0.6/3 1.1/4 1.6/4
8:00 Big Bang Theory (r) 4.2/7 6679 0.9/4 1.4/5 2.1/6
8:30 Big Bang Theory (r) 4.5/7 7062 1.0/4 1.6/5 2.3/6
9:00 Scorpion (r) 3.5/6 5471 0.6/2 1.0/3 1.5/4
9:59 NCIS: Los Angeles (r) 3.5/6 5411 0.4/2 0.8/3 1.1/3
PROGRAM HH/Share Viewers
(000)		 Adults
18-34		 Adults
18-49		 Adults
25-54
8-11 Network Average 5.5/9 8824 1.3/5 2.1/7 2.9/8
8:00 The Voice 6.4/10 10427 1.6/6 2.5/8 3.4/9
10:01 Blindspot 3.6/6 5536 0.8/3 1.3/4 1.8/5
PROGRAM HH/Share Viewers
(000)		 Adults
18-34		 Adults
18-49		 Adults
25-54
8-10 Network Average 1.2/2 1916 0.4/2 0.6/2 0.7/2
8:00 Gotham (r) 1.2/2 1801 0.4/2 0.5/2 0.7/2
9:00 Lucifer (r) 1.3/2 2032 0.4/2 0.6/2 0.8/2
PROGRAM HH/Share Viewers
(000)		 Adults
18-34		 Adults
18-49		 Adults
25-54
8-10 Network Average 0.4/1 587 0.2/1 0.2/1 0.2/1
8:00 iZombie (r) 0.5/1 699 0.2/1 0.2/1 0.3/1
9:00 Jane the Virgin (r) 0.3/1 475 0.2/1 0.2/0 0.2/0
PROGRAM HH/Share Viewers
(000)		 Adults
18-34		 Adults
18-49		 Adults
25-54
8-11 Network Average 1.1/2 2085 0.8/3
7:00 Sueño de Amor 0.8/1 1485 0.5/2
8:00 Un Camino Hacia El Destino 1.0/2 1887 0.7/2
9:00 Pasion y Poder 1.3/2 2462 1.0/3
10:03 El Hotel de Los Secretos 1.1/2 1874 0.7/2

Sub-Demo Breakdowns – Monday 4/04/16

“Dancing With The Stars” (ABC)
Women 18-34: 1.6/6
Men 18-34: 0.8/4
Women 18-49: 2.4/7
Men 18-49: 1.1/4

“Castle” (ABC)
Women 18-34: 0.9/3
Men 18-34: 0.4/2
Women 18-49: 1.4/4
Men 18-49: 0.7/2

“The Voice” (NBC)
Women 18-34: 2.1/8
Men 18-34: 1.1/5
Women 18-49: 3.1/10
Men 18-49: 1.8/6

“Blindspot” (NBC)
Women 18-34: 1.1/4
Men 18-34: 0.6/2
Women 18-49: 1.6/5
Men 18-49: 1.0/3

“NCAA Men’s Div. I Basketball National Championship: Villanova vs. North Carolina” (TBS)
Women 18-34: 2.52
Men 18-34: 5.35
Women 18-49: 3.12
Men 18-49: 5.95

“NCAA Men’s Div. I Basketball National Championship (North Carolina “Team Stream”): Villanova vs. North Carolina” (TNT)
Women 18-34: 0.68
Men 18-34: 1.20
Women 18-49: 0.81
Men 18-49: 1.34

“NCAA Men’s Div. I Basketball National Championship (Villanova “Team Stream”): Villanova vs. North Carolina” (truTV)
Women 18-34: 0.24
Men 18-34: 0.37
Women 18-49: 0.23
Men 18-49: 0.39

“Better Call Saul” (AMC)
Women 18-34: 0.47
Men 18-34: 0.92
Women 18-49: 0.57
Men 18-49: 1.14

“Bates Motel” Season Recap (A&E)
Women 18-34: 0.17
Men 18-34: 0.11
Women 18-49: 0.18
Men 18-49: 0.14

Cable Rankings – Monday 4/04/16
What follows are the top 20 most-watched shows in prime time on cable for Monday, April 4:


  1. “NCAA Div. I Men’s Basketball National Championship: Villanova vs. North Carolina” (TBS, 9:20-11:36 p.m., 8.14 household rating): 13.853 million viewers (4.52 adults 18-49 rating)

  2. “NCAA Div. I Men’s Basketball National Championship Tip-Off” (TBS, 9:10-9:20 p.m., 5.94 household rating): 9.666 million viewers (2.85 adults 18-49 rating)

  3. “WWE Raw” (USA, 8-9 p.m., 2.66 household rating): 4.287 million viewers (1.60 adults 18-49 rating)

  4. “WWE Raw” (USA, 9-10 p.m., 2.60 household rating): 4.178 million viewers (1.56 adults 18-49 rating)

  5. “WWE Raw” (USA, 10-11:10 p.m., 2.37 household rating): 3.816 million viewers (1.48 adults 18-49 rating)

  6. “NCAA Div. I Men’s Basketball National Championship (North Carolina “Team Stream”): Villanova vs. North Carolina” (TNT, 9:20-11:41 p.m., 1.95 household rating): 3.127 million viewers (1.07 adults 18-49 rating)

  7. “NCAA Div. I Men’s Basketball National Championship Pre-Game” (TBS, 8:02-9:10 p.m., 2.01 household rating): 3.072 million viewers (0.92 adults 18-49 rating)

  8. “The O’Reilly Factor” (Fox News Channel, 8-9 p.m.): 2.957 (0.23)

  9. “Love and Hip-Hop Atlanta” (VH1, 8-9 p.m.): 2.847 (1.49)

  10. “Black Ink Crew” (VH1, 9-10 p.m.): 2.217 (1.21)

  11. “Hannity” (Fox News Channel, 10-11 p.m.): 2.043 (0.25)

  12. “Better Call Saul” (AMC, 10-11:05 p.m.): 1.930 (0.81)

  13. “Swamp People” (History, 9-10:03 p.m.): 1.822 (0.43)

  14. “The Kelly File” (Fox News Channel, 9-10 p.m.): 1.806 (0.22)

  15. “American Dad” (Adult Swim, 10:30-11 p.m.): 1.729 (0.81)

  16. “NCAA Div. I Men’s Basketball National Championship Tip-Off” (TNT, 9:10-9:20 p.m., 1.03 household rating): 1.626 million viewers (0.51 adults 18-49 rating)

  17. “Teen Mom” (MTV, 10:00-11:01 p.m.): 1.559 (0.88)

  18. Movie: “Princess Protection Program” (2009) (Disney Channel, 8:00-9:40 p.m.): 1.545 (0.35)

  19. “House Hunters” (HGTV, 10-10:30 p.m.): 1.519 (0.31)

  20. “American Dad” (Adult Swim, 10-10:30 p.m.): 1.511 (0.70)


  • “Street Outlaws: New Orleans” (Discovery, 9-10:01 p.m.): 1.431 (0.57)

  • “Tiny House Hunters” (HGTV, 9:30-10 p.m.): 1.371 (0.37)

  • “Misfit Garage” (Discovery, 10-11 p.m.): 1.305 (0.49)

  • “NCAA Div. I Men’s Basketball National Championship Pre-Game” (TNT, 9:00-9:10 p.m., 0.82 household rating): 1.279 million viewers (0.40 adults 18-49 rating)

  • “House Hunters International” (HGTV, 10:30-11 p.m.): 1.279 (0.26)

  • “Tiny House Hunters” (HGTV, 9-9:30 p.m.): 1.267 (0.34)

  • “Vanderpump Rules” (Bravo, 8-9 p.m.): 1.183 (0.53)

  • “The Rachel Maddow Show” (MSNBC, 9-10 p.m.): 1.136 (0.16)

  • “Southern Charm” (Bravo, 9-10 p.m.): 0.994 (0.39)

  • “Listed Sisters” (HGTV, 8-9 p.m.): 0.962 (0.27)

  • “Wicked Tuna” (NGC, 9-10 p.m.): 0.822 (0.26)

  • “Billion Dollar Wreck” (History, 10:03-11:03 p.m.): 0.815 (0.22)

  • “Octonauts” (Disney Jr., 8:30-8:55 p.m.): 0.808 (0.20)

  • “Cake Wars” (Food Network, 9-10 p.m.): 0.796 (0.27)

  • “NCAA Div. I Men’s Basketball National Championship (Villanova “Team Stream”): Villanova vs. North Carolina” (truTV, 9:20-11:40 p.m., 0.47 household rating): 0.772 million viewers (0.31 adults 18-49 rating)

  • “Deadly Demands” (ID, 10-11 p.m.): 0.759 (0.22)

  • “The Magicians” (Syfy, 9-10 p.m.): 0.746 (0.28)

  • “My 40-Year-Old Child” (TLC, 9-11 p.m.): 0.717 (0.22)

  • “MLB Baseball (Opening Day): Chicago Cubs @ Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim” (ESPN2, 10:00 p.m.-1:25 a.m., 0.39 household rating): 0.559 million viewers (0.21 adults 18-49 rating)

  • “NCAA Div. I Men’s Basketball National Championship Pre-Game” (truTV, 9:00-9:11 p.m., 0.23 household rating): 0.381 million viewers (0.15 adults 18-49 rating)

  • “RuPaul’s Drag Race” (Logo, 9:00-10:01 p.m.): 0.327 (0.15)


Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research

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