The NCAA, CBS and TNT Sports worked together to move the start time of the national championship game 30 minutes earlier this year, from 9:20 p.m. (ET) to 8:50 p.m. (ET).
“The reality is later start times often help with viewership,” CBS Sports CEO and president David Berson said.
“If the game’s close at the end, the viewership is going to be there. Oftentimes the later you go, the more you have the viewers to start at the beginning of the telecast. But we also understand that we want to appeal to people of all ages.
“The later you go, the more challenging that is. It’s us working with the NCAA to be more fan-friendly. We’re happy that we’re able to move it a half-hour early, and hopefully, it can give some younger people an opportunity to see more of the game.”
The move was celebrated with near-universal acclaim from those who cover the sport.
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