Today March Madness continues to grow in popularity, with hundreds of thousands of peope attending games each year and tens of millions more watching on TV and online. In the typical year, about 700,000 fans attend men’s tournament games in person – a far cry from the 500 or so who watched the tourney in the early years. Check out the attendance data for the men’s tournament below. (You can see the stats for the women’s tournament here).
2023 Ratings for the mens championship game were down – likely because the matchup – San Diego State vs. UConn didn’t offer popular powerhouse teams that deliver large audiences. But still, over 12 Million people watched the game, down from about 17 Million in 2022. In recent years most championship games drew 17-23 million viewers, with a few higher and lower.
| Year | Championship Game Location | Facility | # of Teams in Tournament | Total Tournament Attendance | # Sessions | Championship Game Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Glendale, AZ | State Farm Stadium | 68 | 713,877 | 36 | 74,423 |
| 2023 | Houston, TX | NRG Stadium | 68 | 722,121 | 36 | 72,423 |
| 2022 | New Orleans | Caesars Superdome | 68 | 684,268 | 36 | 69,423 |
| 2021 | Indianapolis | Lucas Oil Stadium | 68 | 173,592 | 36 | 7,923 |
| 2020 | - | - | - | - | 36 | - |
| 2019 | Minneapolis | U.S. Bank Stadium | 68 | 659,594 | 36 | 72,062 |
| 2018 | San Antonio | Alamodome | 68 | 650,165 | 36 | 67,831 |
| 2017 | Glendale, AZ | University of Phoenix Stadium | 68 | 716,899 | 36 | 76,168 |
| 2016 | Houston | NRG Stadium | 68 | 715,899 | 36 | 74,340 |
| 2015 | Indianapolis | Lucas Oil Stadium | 68 | 703,854 | 36 | 71,149 |
| 2014 | Arlington, TX | AT&T Stadium | 68 | 727,657 | 36 | 79,238 |
| 2013 | Atlanta | Georgia Dome | 68 | 704,809 | 36 | 74,326 |
| 2012 | New Orleans | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | 68 | 703,630 | 36 | 70,913 |
| 2011 | Houston | Reliant Stadium | 68 | 690,679 | 36 | 70,376 |
| 2010 | Indianapolis | Lucas Oil Stadium | 65 | 706,246 | 35 | 70,930 |
| 2009 | Detroit | Ford Field | 65 | 708,296 | 35 | 72,922 |
| 2008 | San Antonio | Alamodome | 65 | 763,607 | 35 | 43,257 |
| 2007 | Atlanta | Georgia Dome | 65 | 696,992 | 35 | 51,458 |
| 2006 | Indianapolis | RCA Dome | 65 | 670,254 | 35 | 43,168 |
| 2005 | St. Louis | Edward Jones Dome | 65 | 653,604 | 35 | 47,262 |
| 2004 | San Antonio | Alamodome | 65 | 716,899 | 35 | 44,468 |
| 2003 | New Orleans | Louisiana Superdome | 65 | 716,581 | 35 | 54,524 |
| 2002 | Atlanta | Georgia Dome | 65 | 641,103 | 35 | 53,406 |
| 2001 | Minneapolis | Metrodome | 65 | 625,962 | 35 | 45,944 |
| 2000 | Indianapolis | RCA Dome | 64 | 613,530 | 34 | 43,116 |
| 1999 | St. Petersburg | Tropicana Field | 64 | 635,321 | 34 | 42,519 |
| 1998 | San Antonio | Alamodome | 64 | 647,618 | 34 | 40,509 |
| 1997 | Indianapolis | RCA Dome | 64 | 639,408 | 34 | 47,028 |
| 1996 | East Rutherford | Continental Airlines Arena | 64 | 636,681 | 34 | 19,229 |
| 1995 | Seattle | Kingdome | 64 | 629,727 | 34 | 38,540 |
| 1994 | Charlotte | Charlotte Coliseum | 64 | 616,752 | 34 | 23,674 |
| 1993 | New Orleans | Louisiana Superdome | 64 | 556,168 | 34 | 17,180 |
| 1992 | Minneapolis | Metrodome | 64 | 552,579 | 34 | 50,379 |
| 1991 | Indianapolis | Hoosier Dome | 64 | 528,112 | 34 | 47,100 |
| 1990 | Denver | McNichols Sports Arena | 64 | 510,882 | 34 | 17,162 |
| 1989 | Seattle | Kingdome | 64 | 534,704 | 34 | 39,187 |
| 1988 | Kansas City | Kemper Arena | 64 | 513,882 | 34 | 16,531 |
| 1987 | New Orleans | Louisiana Superdome | 64 | 505,801 | 34 | 64,959 |
| 1986 | Dallas | Reunion Arena | 64 | 473,189 | 34 | 16,493 |
| 1985 | Lexington | Rupp Arena | 64 | 422,519 | 34 | 23,124 |
| 1984 | Seattle | Kingdome | 53 | 405,818 | 28 | 19,153 |
| 1983 | Albuquerque | University Arena | 52 | 363,746 | 28 | 17,327 |
| 1982 | New Orleans | Louisiana Superdome | 48 | 356,145 | 26 | 61,612 |
| 1981 | Philadelphia | The Spectrum | 48 | 326,112 | 26 | 18,276 |
| 1980 | Indianapolis | Market Square Arena | 48 | 331,780 | 26 | 15,410 |
| 1979 | Salt Lake City | Special Events Center | 40 | 344,177 | 22 | 38,500 |
| 1978 | St. Louis | Checkerdome | 32 | 326,144 | 18 | 11,520 |
| 1977 | Atlanta | The Omni | 32 | 327,166 | 18 | 15,151 |
| 1976 | Philadelphia | The Spectrum | 32 | 312,923 | 18 | 15,151 |
| 1975 | San Diego | San Diego Sports Arena | 32 | 274,093 | 18 | 15,151 |
| 1974 | Greensboro | Greensboro Coliseum | 25 | 275,138 | 16 | 15,151 |
| 1973 | St. Louis | Checkerdome | 25 | 253,347 | 16 | 15,151 |
| 1972 | Los Angeles | L.A. Memorial Sports Arena | 25 | 233,880 | 16 | 15,151 |
| 1971 | Houston | Astrodome | 25 | 215,783 | 16 | 14,428 |
| 1970 | College Park | Cole Field House | 25 | 202,502 | 16 | 14,642 |
| 1969 | Louisville | Freedom Hall | 25 | 190,788 | 15 | 14,153 |
| 1968 | Los Angeles | L.A. Memorial Sports Arena | 23 | 179,833 | 14 | 14,667 |
| 1967 | Louisville | Freedom Hall | 23 | 165,712 | 14 | 18,458 |
| 1966 | College Park | Cole Field House | 22 | 156,781 | 13 | 14,253 |
| 1965 | Portland | Memorial Coliseum | 23 | 140,424 | 13 | 19,500 |
| 1964 | Kansas City | Municipal Auditorium | 25 | 123,880 | 14 | 10,864 |
| 1963 | Louisville | Freedom Hall | 25 | 108,669 | 14 | 10,864 |
| 1962 | Louisville | Freedom Hall | 25 | 93,763 | 14 | 10,864 |
| 1961 | Kansas City | Municipal Auditorium | 24 | 80,983 | 14 | 10,864 |
| 1960 | San Francisco | Cow Palace | 25 | 68,926 | 16 | 10,864 |
| 1959 | Louisville | Freedom Hall | 23 | 57,262 | 14 | 11,240 |
| 1958 | Louisville | Freedom Hall | 24 | 46,400 | 14 | 10,780 |
| 1957 | Kansas City | Municipal Auditorium | 24 | 35,984 | 14 | 10,350 |
| 1956 | Evanston | McGaw Memorial Hall | 25 | 26,573 | 15 | 10,350 |
| 1955 | Kansas City | Municipal Auditorium | 24 | 17,200 | 15 | 10,350 |
| 1954 | Kansas City | Municipal Auditorium | 24 | 13,154 | 15 | 10,350 |
| 1953 | Kansas City | Municipal Auditorium | 22 | 7,848 | 14 | 10,350 |
| 1952 | Seattle | Hec Edmundson Pavilion | 22 | 4,821 | 10 | 10,500 |
| 1951 | Minneapolis | Williams Arena | 16 | 2,844 | 9 | 10,000 |
| 1950 | New York City | Madison Square Garden | 8 | 2,399 | 5 | 14,180 |
| 1949 | Seattle | Hec Edmundson Pavilion | 8 | 1,554 | 5 | 12,500 |
| 1948 | New York City | Madison Square Garden | 8 | 1,020 | 5 | 8,000 |
| 1947 | New York City | Madison Square Garden | 8 | 985 | 5 | 18,496 |
| 1946 | New York City | Madison Square Garden | 8 | 836 | 5 | 18,188 |
| 1945 | New York City | Madison Square Garden | 8 | 739 | 5 | 18,409 |
| 1944 | New York City | Madison Square Garden | 8 | 698 | 5 | 15,000 |
| 1943 | New York City | Madison Square Garden | 8 | 689 | 5 | 13,300 |
| 1942 | Kansas City | Municipal Auditorium | 8 | 721 | 5 | 6,500 |
| 1941 | Kansas City | Municipal Auditorium | 8 | 588 | 5 | 7,219 |
| 1940 | Kansas City | Municipal Auditorium | 8 | 508 | 5 | 10,000 |
| 1939 | Evanston | Patten Gymnasium | 8 | 411 | 5 | 5,500 |
