As March Madness kicks off this week, college basketball shines brightly in the American sports landscape. Leading up to this peak, the sport enjoyed a fantastic season, especially for one of its primary broadcast partners, ESPN, which may not hold the rights to the men’s NCAA Tournament (that’s CBS and Warner Bros. Discovery’s territory), but boasts an extensive and prominent slate of games throughout the regular season.
In total, ESPN experienced an 8% increase in college basketball viewership compared to last season, propelled by a remarkable 21% growth during Championship Week. Both the overall season and their flagship show College GameDay recorded their highest viewership since 2020.
The ’24-’25 #NCAAMBB reg. season on ESPN platforms finished up 8% YoY
🏀 7 of the top 10 reg. season MCBB games across all networks
🏀 ‘Sonic Blockbuster’ most-viewed since ’18
🏀 Champ Week up 21% YoY
🏀 @CollegeGameDay most-watched season since ’20🔗 https://t.co/kAaTsD7XzY pic.twitter.com/hOTXgc3yPC
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) March 19, 2025
Unsurprisingly, the Duke-North Carolina rivalry dominated viewership rankings on ESPN this year, with their matchup on March 8 attracting nearly 3 million viewers. While some fans may wish for increased coverage of other exciting games, it remains ESPN’s main attraction for the college basketball season. The February 15 showdown between the Auburn Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide, a #1 vs #2 face-off reminiscent of the Iron Bowl, also garnered significant attention. Together, these four teams, along with the Kentucky Wildcats, made up the majority of ESPN’s most-watched games this season, making a total of 16 appearances. Should any of these marquee teams extend their runs in this year’s NCAA Tournament, CBS and WBD are likely to see a boost in ratings as well.
