:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49206219/GettyImages-50891907.0.jpg)
Despite no Cardinals in the tournament and no Wildcats after the first weekend, the March Madness ratings in the city of Louisville are still higher than they are anywhere else in the United States.
Here's are the top five (or six) markets through the tournament's opening two weeks.
1. Louisville - 16.8
2. Kansas City - 14.4
3. Indianapolis - 13.1
4. Raleigh-Durham - 11.9
4. Cincinnati - 11.9
4. Dayton - 11.9
Even with Louisville watching more of the tournament than any other market in the country, the Derby City still isn't nearly as tuned in as it was a year ago.
Think about this: Last year's Elite Eight average rating -- with both UK and U of L in contention -- was a 30.3, with a 47 share. This year's Elite Eight plummeted to a 13.0 average rating, 21 share, or a 57 percent decrease.
Each ratings point represents 6,750 households in the market and the share represents the percentage of televisions in use at the moment tuned to that program. The numbers are for live and same-day digital video recording viewing, but do not include those who viewed via online streaming.
That decrease, of course, shouldn't be surprising. A year ago, UK's undefeated run into the tournament and Louisville's surprising run to the Elite Eight drew big numbers, according to ratings provided to WDRB by the Nielsen Co.
This year, the most-watched Elite Eight game in the Louisville market was one that took place in Louisville: The CBS broadcast of Villanova's victory over Kansas this past Sunday night, which drew a 16.5/26 overnight rating from Nielsen.
The second-most watched was Indiana's Sweet Sixteen loss to North Carolina, which drew a 15.7/26 rating on TBS.
The loss of Kentucky and Louisville in the tournament not only means the loss of big viewing nights for their games (38.4 for UK's Elite Eight game last season, 37.0 for Louisville's), but it hurts the numbers for the other games.
For example, last year's least-watched Elite Eight game, Wisconsin's win over Arizona, did a better rating (19.0/31) than this year's most-watched Elite Eight game (16.5/26).
With the Final Four being carried on TBS for the first time this year, it's extremely likely that the ratings for the weekend will be down across the board. Still, Louisvillians will likely be more tuned in than any other place in America.