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Media & Entertainment Law

: Sports Biz

Does NCAA Online Viewing Account for CBS Rating Decline?

By Mark

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We all know that March Madness has become a national sporting icon, second only to the Super Bowl in the pantheon of the American sporting universe. The average 30 second spot in the championship game now sells for about $1.4 million, which is not quite Super Bowl money but it's certainly getting close. So, what accounts for the dropping Neilsen numbers?

CBS viewer numbers have declined by 12% during the past three years. Last year brought an average 6.1 for all games, the second lowest in the 25 years CBS has televised the tournament(the lowest came when the tourney coincided with the start of the Iraq War in 2003).

If you believe Billy Packer, the blame rests with CBS itself for placing games online for free. Of course, before this year, the availability of games was limited. This year, all 63 games ( every game except the dreaded Tuesday play-in game) will be available to anyone with a computer and a broadband connection. No registration is even required, allowing one click access from hundreds of websites (early registration is available here). Interesting that the man without a computer believes that allowing free online viewing to the one million folks who viewed the tournament at work last year is the cause of the drop in ratings is farcical at best. Listening to Packer rant while supposedly calling the games may contribute to the drop in viewing almost as much as opening up broadband access. The folks who access the tournament online are most likely unable to watch on TV not choosing it as an alternative, unless it is to watch a game not available in their region. It's incremental income CBS is thrilled to get, especially when it's estimated to be $25 million this year.

It's CBS' turn to do all of us a favor and retire Packer. Who knows, maybe the ratings will spike.

Full post as published by Sports Biz on March 12, 2008 (boomark / email).