Last night’s Duke–UNC game was projected to be a classic and draw in a ton of viewers. It didn’t disappoint in either category.
The Tar Heels outlasted the Blue Devils 81-77 in the most high-stakes game in the storied history of the rivalry. According to the early television ratings, 16.3 million viewers tuned in to watch the two Tobacco Road blue bloods slug it out.
That figure will grow on Tuesday when the out-of-home audience is factored in. According to Sports Business Journal’s Austin Karp, when all is said and done, Duke-UNC will be the second-most watched college basketball game in the history of cable television.
It will finish behind only Wisconsin’s win over undefeated Kentucky at the 2015 Final Four.
North Carolina-Duke Final Four thriller PROJECTS to be 2nd-best NCAA hoops game ever on cable TV
EARLY figure: 16.3 million viewers (again, EARLY). Should see 10% bump Tuesday (out-of-home audience)
Record still 2015: Wisconsin’s upset of undefeated Kentucky: 22.6 million (1/3) pic.twitter.com/Q7OT7xJk51
— Austin Karp (@AustinKarp) April 3, 2022
It’s unlikely that Monday night’s championship game between UNC and Kansas on TBS will top last night’s ratings, but it should still draw plenty of eyeballs.
Can the Tar Heels finish off their magical run? Or can Kansas finally get its second title under Bill Self after so many close calls?
Find out at 9:20 p.m. ET tomorrow.
The post The Early TV Ratings Are Out For Duke vs. UNC appeared first on The Spun.