NEW YORK, NY — CBS Sports and TNT Sports’ coverage of Monday’s National Championship Game — Michigan defeating UConn on TBS, TNT, truTV and HBO Max — averaged 18.3 million viewers, the most watched Championship Game since 2019. It was also the most-watched National Championship Game ever on TNT Sports, garnering a 23% increase vs. 2024 Championship Game on TNT Sports platforms. The telecast peaked with 20.4 million viewers from 11-11:15 p.m. ET.
The 2026 Men’s Final Four averaged 14.2 million viewers, up 11% vs. 2024. Coverage included the Fab Five altcast during the Michigan-Arizona game, which was trending on social media throughout the night and delivered the most watched altcast on TNT Sports in eight years.
Image Credit: Nielsen Big Data + Panel/NCAA
TNT Sports and CBS Sports’ combined coverage of the 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship set new marks across all platforms, including delivering the second most watched tournament since 1994.
Overall, the 2026 NCAA Tournament across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV averaged 10.9 million viewers, up 7% vs. last year, and the second-most watched Tournament since 1994.
CBS Sports and TNT Sports set new marks throughout this year’s tournament, including the most watched First Four under the traditional format, the most watched First Round ever, and the most watched Second Round since 1993, as well as registering increases in every Sweet 16 and Elite 8 game window.
Image Credit: Francisco Rodriguez/Latino Sports
The 2026 NCAA Men’s Tournament smashed records across social platforms, collectively setting a new all-time mark for NCAA Tournament content views by a wide margin with nearly 4 billion total views, up 191% vs. 2025.
March Madness men’s basketball accounts generated 1.4 billion content views, up a whopping 189% vs. 2025 and a new all-time NCAA Men’s Tournament record for the brand. Bleacher Report and House of Highlights also drew another 1.3 billion content views of NCAA Tournament content, setting a new all-time mark for those platforms.
Information Courtesy of the NCAA
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