TBS’ telecast of the NCAA men’s championship game easily led the cable ratings for the week of April 2 — although it was off a bit from TBS’ last turn airing the game in 2016.
Villanova’s win over Michigan drew 13.28 million viewers and a 4.1 rating among adults 18-49. It’s the No. 2 cable telecast of 2018 so far in both measures, behind ESPN’s college football title game in January.
This year’s game was off a bit from the 2016 championship, the last one on TBS. That matchup (Villanova-North Carolina) came in at 13.85 million viewers and a 4.5 in the 18-49 demo.
Top 25 original cable shows (including ties) in adults 18-49 for April 2-8, 2018
| Rank | Show | Net | Day | Time | 18-49 rating |
18-49 viewers (000s)*
|
| 1 | NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP – MICHIGAN/VILLANOVA | TBS | Mon. | 9:18 PM | 4.1 | 5,235 |
| 2 | THE WALKING DEAD | AMC | Sun. | 9:00 PM | 2.8 | 3,597 |
| 3 | JERSEY SHORE FAMILY VACATION | MTV | Thurs. | 9:00 PM | 1.5 | 1,907 |
| 4 | JERSEY SHORE FAMILY VACATION – P | MTV | Thurs. | 8:00 PM | 1.4 | 1,818 |
| NCAA POSTGAME | TBS | Mon. | 11:35 PM | 1.4 | 1,728 | |
| 6 | WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW | USA | Mon. | 8:00 PM | 1.2 | 1,562 |
| WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW | USA | Mon. | 10:00 PM | 1.2 | 1,549 | |
| WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW | USA | Mon. | 9:00 PM | 1.2 | 1,472 | |
| 9 | NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP PREGAME | TBS | Mon. | 8:08 PM | 1.1 | 1,357 |
| 10 | TALKING DEAD | AMC | Sun. | 10:15 PM | 1.0 | 1,293 |
| 11 | REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA | BRAVO | Sun. | 8:00 PM | 0.9 | 1,203 |
| LOVE & HIP HOP ATLANTA | VH1 | Mon. | 8:00 PM | 0.9 | 1,190 | |
| 13 | WWE SMACKDOWN | USA | Tues. | 8:00 PM | 0.8 | 1,011 |
| 14 | FIXER UPPER | HGTV | Tues. | 9:00 PM | 0.7 | 934 |
| THE MASTERS | ESPN | Fri. | 3:00 PM | 0.7 | 934 | |
| TEYANA & IMAN | VH1 | Mon. | 9:00 PM | 0.7 | 909 | |
| NBA BASKETBALL – WARRIORS/THUNDER | TNT | Tues. | 8:14 PM | 0.7 | 909 | |
| LIVE PD | A&E | Sat. | 9:00 PM | 0.7 | 858 | |
| 19 | VANDERPUMP RULES | BRAVO | Mon. | 9:00 PM | 0.6 | 781 |
| NBA BASKETBALL – WIZARDS/CAVALIERS | TNT | Thurs. | 8:14 PM | 0.6 | 781 | |
| LIVE PD | A&E | Fri. | 9:00 PM | 0.6 | 768 | |
| TRADING SPACES – P | TLC | Sat. | 9:00 PM | 0.6 | 768 | |
| REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS | BRAVO | Tues. | 9:00 PM | 0.6 | 717 | |
| MIKE TYSON MYSTERIES | ADSM | Sun. | 11:30 PM | 0.6 | 717 | |
| NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP SIMULCAST | TNT | Mon. | 9:12 PM | 0.6 | 704 | |
| THE MASTERS | ESPN | Thurs. | 3:00 PM | 0.6 | 704 | |
| SPORTSCENTER | ESPN | Fri. | 7:46 PM | 0.6 | 704 |
*Adults 18-49 viewer figures are approximate.
Top 25 original cable shows in total viewers for April 2-8, 2018
| Rank | Show | Net | Day | Time |
Viewers (000s)
|
| 1 | NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP – MICHIGAN/VILLANOVA | TBS | Mon. | 9:18 PM | 13,283 |
| 2 | THE WALKING DEAD | AMC | Sun. | 9:00 PM | 6,665 |
| 3 | NCAA POSTGAME | TBS | Mon. | 11:35 PM | 4,091 |
| 4 | THE MASTERS | ESPN | Fri. | 3:00 PM | 3,913 |
| 5 | NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP PREGAME | TBS | Mon. | 8:08 PM | 3,509 |
| 6 | WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW | USA | Mon. | 8:00 PM | 3,430 |
| 7 | WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW | USA | Mon. | 9:00 PM | 3,329 |
| 8 | WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW | USA | Mon. | 10:00 PM | 3,314 |
| 9 | FIXER UPPER | HGTV | Tues. | 9:00 PM | 3,268 |
| 10 | THE MASTERS | ESPN | Thurs. | 3:00 PM | 2,971 |
| 11 | HANNITY | FNC | Weds. | 9:00 PM | 2,938 |
| 12 | HANNITY | FNC | Tues. | 9:00 PM | 2,931 |
| 13 | THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW | MSNBC | Thurs. | 9:00 PM | 2,904 |
| 14 | NASCAR MONSTER ENERGY CUP – TEXAS | FS1 | Sun. | 1:54 PM | 2,823 |
| 15 | THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW | MSNBC | Weds. | 9:00 PM | 2,779 |
| 16 | THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW | MSNBC | Tues. | 9:00 PM | 2,747 |
| 17 | HANNITY | FNC | Thurs. | 9:00 PM | 2,704 |
| 18 | ONCE UPON A PRINCE | HALL | Sat. | 9:00 PM | 2,633 |
| 19 | TUCKER CARLSON TONIGHT | FNC | Mon. | 8:00 PM | 2,601 |
| 20 | HANNITY | FNC | Fri. | 9:00 PM | 2,590 |
| 21 | TUCKER CARLSON TONIGHT | FNC | Weds. | 8:00 PM | 2,589 |
| 22 | LAST WORD W/LAWRENCE O’DONNELL | MSNBC | Thurs. | 10:00 PM | 2,565 |
| 23 | JERSEY SHORE FAMILY VACATION | MTV | Thurs. | 9:00 PM | 2,555 |
| 24 | TALKING DEAD | AMC | Sun. | 10:15 PM | 2,529 |
| 25 | THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW | MSNBC | Fri. | 9:00 PM | 2,526 |
All ratings are live + same-day. Source: The Nielsen Company.
