'60 Minutes' Scores Historic Ratings By Airing Month-Old Basketball Highlight
By Kyle Koster
Sunday night’s 60 Minutes notched its highest rating in nearly 10 years on the strength of Steve Kroft’s profile of Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. The program delivered a 16.3 rating and 27 share across 56 metered markets, the best since a 2008 interview with then-president-elect Barack Obama and his wife Michelle. And it should come as no surprise, as commercials for 60 Minutes were peppered throughout CBS’ coverage of the NCAA Tournament leading to a palpable sense of anticipation.
Many on the fence were won over by the tasty tease of Antetokounmpo’s high-flying dunk over over Tim Hardaway Jr. in a Feb. 7 game against the New York Knicks.
The ratings were also buoyed by a great lead-in of Duke-Kansas, a thrilling overtime game that extended past the 7 p.m. EST scheduled start.
What can’t basketball do?
Another segment on last night’s show featured some adult film star opening up about a decade-old affair with a former reality television star.