NCAA Tournament viewership sees a significant increase, with millions tuning in despite the near impossibility of predicting a perfect bracket. Record-breaking numbers were achieved during the first round, highlighting the tournament's popularity and Gabriela Jaquez's journey.
Millions fill out NCAA Tournament brackets every year, but a perfect one has never been verified. Here’s why predicting all 63 games of March Madness is nearly impossible. The tournament averaged 9.8 million for the first three days according to Nielsen, a 5% increase from last year.
CBS and TNT began showing all of the games in 2011 after CBS had done early rounds in regional windows from 1991 through 2010.Thursday's opening round games across CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV averaged 9.8 million viewers, according to Nielsen, a 6% increase over last year.The primetime games — which included VCU's 82-78 win over North Carolina — averaged 12.5 million, making it the most-watched first-round window in NCAA Tournament history. Tuesday and Wednesday's First Four games totaled 7.5 million on truTV. Miami 89-79 victory over SMU on Wednesday averaged 2.8 million, making the most-watched First Four game when they take place in Dayton, Ohio. The 2021 First Four took place throughout Indiana because of COVID-19, and the games were all on a Thursday. UCLA guard Gabriela Jaquez, fresh off helping the Bruins win the Big Ten tournament title, is embracing her final March Madness run with a tight-knit team and family inspiration from her brother Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr.
NCAA Tournament March Madness Viewership First Four Gabriela Jaquez
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