Why the college basketball National Championship Game starts so late
Another college basketball National Championship Game. Another start time after 9 p.m. ET.
The 2018 national title game between Michigan and Villanova, airing on TBS, will tip off at 9:20 p.m. ET Monday in San Antonio. It is a late start that makes a good portion of East Coast basketball viewers stay up past their bedtimes — or try to, at least.
So, why does the college basketball National Championship Game start so late? The reason is simple: ratings.
With the 9:20 p.m. start, the key parts of the game will happen about 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT. That is when the game will have its best ratings and earn the most money from advertisers, according to Richard Deitsch, a sports media analyst for The Athletic and formerly Sports Illustrated.
Deitsch pointed this out on Twitter prior to the 2017 title game between North Carolina and Gonzaga.
Why does the college basketball National Championship Game start so late?
It's actually smart by CBS and Turner because it ensures the biggest rating. https://t.co/tLhWWCd96I
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) April 4, 2017
This game's peak rating will come after 11P ET @SportsTVRatings will back me up. Viewers stay up for mega events. https://t.co/fRkHTb18h6
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) April 4, 2017
The numbers from the 2017 National Championship Game backed up Deitsch. According to Variety, the 2017 title game had its peak viewership between 11:15 and 11:30 p.m. ET.
In final nationals from Nielsen, Monday night’s North Carolina-Gonzaga championship game averaged 23 million total viewers, up 30 percent from last year’s championship game. The game peaked with 26.1 million viewers from 11:15-11:30 p.m.
Additionally, NCAA March Madness Live recorded 98 million live video streams during the NCAA Tournament, up 33 percent over last year. The National Championship game garnered 4.4 million live video streams, an all-time record for the title game. Sorry, East Coast basketball fans, it doesn’t look like the late starts are going away anytime soon. So hope for a nail-biter that keeps the adrenaline flowing or a blowout that allows halftime to be bedtime.
2018 Final Four: Times for NCAA Tournament games
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Monday, April 2 (at San Antonio)
9:20 p.m. ET | No. 1 Villanova vs. No. 3 Michigan | TBS
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2018 Final Four: TV channels, streaming information for NCAA Tournament games
The 2018 Final Four is on TBS. Both national semifinal games and the National Championship Game will be televised by TBS. The National Championship Game also will stream on the March Madness Live app.
2018 NCAA Tournament: Bracket
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