2025 NCAA Men’s Final Four Achieves Highest Viewership Since 2017

Houston-Duke matchup draws 16 million viewers, marking the most-watched game of the tournament and a multi-year high for men’s college basketball.

The 2025 NCAA Men’s Final Four averaged 15.3 million viewers, a 19% increase from 2024 and the highest since 2017.
Houston’s comeback win over Duke attracted 16 million viewers, making it the most-watched game of this year’s tournament so far.
Florida-Auburn’s semifinal matchup drew 14.6 million viewers, a 27% increase from the equivalent time slot in 2024.
The men’s tournament is averaging 9.9 million viewers per broadcast window, up 2% compared to last year.
While the women’s Final Four viewership dropped 65% from 2024’s record-breaking numbers, it still ranked as the third-highest since ESPN gained exclusive rights in 1995.