2014 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Scores Highest Overnight Rating for First Thursday of Tournament in 23 Years

Thursday's NCAA Tournament Coverage Earns 6.0 Overnight Rating, Up 3% vs. 2013

NCAA Tournament Ratings Up 8% Through First Three Days

CBS Sports and Turner Sports' exclusive second-round coverage of the 2014 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV on Thursday, March 20 delivered the highest rating for the first Thursday of the NCAA Tournament in 23 years (since the tournament expanded to four telecast windows for the entire day in 1991). Thursday's games averaged a 6.0/14 overnight ratings/share, up 3% compared with a 5.8/14 in 2013, according to Nielsen metered market ratings.

The overall tournament average rating, including the NCAA First Four, is a 5.6/12, up 8% from a 5.2/12 last year, and is also the highest rating for the tournament at this point in the event since 1991.

Thursday's coverage, which made NCAA Tournament history with four overtime games in one day, showed ratings growth among the telecast windows.

· The first daytime telecast window (12:00-4:45 PM, ET) averaged a 4.6/15 to deliver the highest rating for the time slot in 23 years. The telecast window is up 12% compared with a 4.1/14 last year.

· The second daytime telecast window (2:45-7:15 PM, ET) averaged a 5.4/14 to garner the second highest rating for the time slot since 1991.

· The first primetime telecast window (6:45-10:30 PM, ET) averaged a 7.7/15 to register the highest rating for the time slot in 23 years. The window is up 4% over a 7.4/14 in 2013.

· The second primetime window (9:30 PM-1:45 AM, ET) averaged a 6.2/12.