Most-watched sports telecasts of 2012
Nielsen average audience, one figure per telecast; a final or revised figure replaces a preliminary one. Composites, peaks, reach and self-reported figures do not chart.
83
eligible telecasts
updated 2026-10-30
Most-watched sports telecasts of 2012
1
Super Bowl XLVI - Giants vs Patriots
111,346,000
2
NFC Championship Game - 49ers vs Giants
57,635,000
3
AFC Championship Game - Patriots vs Ravens
48,700,000
4
London 2012 Olympics — Opening Ceremony
40,700,000
5
London 2012 Olympics — Prime time
38,700,000
6
London 2012 Olympics — Prime time
31,600,000
7
London 2012 Olympics — Prime time
31,300,000
8
London 2012 Olympics — Closing Ceremony
31,000,000
9
London 2012 Olympics — Prime time
30,800,000
10
London 2012 Olympics — Prime time
28,500,000
11
Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos
27,567,000
12
London 2012 Olympics — Prime time
26,600,000
13
Kansas Jayhawks at Kentucky Wildcats
20,869,000
14
NBA Finals Game 5 - Heat vs Thunder
18,460,000
15
NBA Finals Game 4 - Heat vs Thunder
17,500,000
16
NBA Finals Game 2 - Heat vs Thunder
16,670,000
17
Ohio State Buckeyes at Kansas Jayhawks
16,603,000
18
NBA Finals Game 1 - Heat vs Thunder
16,200,000
19
NBA Finals Game 3 - Heat vs Thunder
15,550,000
20
World Series Game 4 - Giants vs Tigers
15,485,000
21
Kentucky Derby
14,800,000
22
Louisville Cardinals at Kentucky Wildcats
13,908,000
23
Daytona 500
13,700,000
24
The Masters Tournament Round 4
13,500,000
25
Eastern Conference Finals Game 7 - Celtics vs Heat
13,346,000
26
London 2012 Olympics — Men's basketball gold medal game
12,500,000
27
World Series Game 2 - Giants vs Tigers
12,340,000
28
World Series Game 1 - Giants vs Tigers
12,240,000
29
Eastern Conference Finals Game 4 - Celtics vs Heat
11,068,000
30
Eastern Conference Finals Game 6 - Celtics vs Heat
11,068,000
31
World Series Game 3 - Giants vs Tigers
10,471,000
32
Eastern Conference Finals Game 5 - Celtics vs Heat
10,251,000
33
U.S. Open Golf Championship Round 4
9,600,000
34
Western Conference Finals Game 6 - Spurs vs Thunder
9,498,000
35
Eastern Conference Finals Game 1 - Celtics vs Heat
8,989,000
36
Eastern Conference Finals Game 2 - Celtics vs Heat
8,809,000
37
Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers
8,559,000
38
Western Conference Finals Game 5 - Spurs vs Thunder
8,507,000
39
NLCS Game 7 - Cardinals vs Giants
8,110,000
40
Preakness Stakes
8,100,000
41
Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens
8,053,000
42
Western Conference Finals Game 1 - Spurs vs Thunder
7,764,000
43
Belmont Stakes
7,670,000
44
NLCS Game 6 - Cardinals vs Giants
7,620,000
45
Eastern Conference Finals Game 3 - Celtics vs Heat
7,593,000
46
Western Conference Finals Game 2 - Spurs vs Thunder
7,299,000
47
Western Conference Finals Game 3 - Spurs vs Thunder
7,134,000
48
NLCS Game 5 - Cardinals vs Giants
7,110,000
49
NBA All-Star Game
7,070,000
50
ALCS Game 1 - Tigers vs Yankees
6,850,000
51
NLCS Game 1 - Cardinals vs Giants
6,800,000
52
Western Conference Finals Game 4 - Spurs vs Thunder
6,529,000
53
ALCS Game 3 - Tigers vs Yankees
6,180,000
54
NLCS Game 4 - Cardinals vs Giants
6,040,000
55
NLCS Game 2 - Cardinals vs Giants
5,580,000
56
Boston Celtics at Miami Heat
5,371,000
57
ALCS Game 4 - Tigers vs Yankees
5,250,000
58
Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars
5,194,000
59
2012 US Open Tennis, Women's Singles Final - Serena Williams vs Victoria Azarenka
5,165,000
60
Stanley Cup Final Game 6 - Devils vs Kings
4,930,000
61
PGA Championship Round 4
4,900,000
62
Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Lakers
4,298,000
63
ALCS Game 2 - Tigers vs Yankees
4,220,000
64
The Open Championship Round 4
4,200,000
65
2012 Wimbledon Tennis, Men's Singles Final - Roger Federer vs Andy Murray
3,925,000
66
NLCS Game 3 - Cardinals vs Giants
3,900,000
67
NHL Winter Classic - Rangers vs Flyers
3,730,000
68
2012 US Open Tennis, Men's Singles Final - Andy Murray vs Novak Djokovic
3,552,000
69
Stanley Cup Final Game 5 - Devils vs Kings
3,331,000
70
Stanley Cup Final Game 1 - Devils vs Kings
2,900,000
71
Stanley Cup Final Game 2 - Devils vs Kings
2,900,000
72
Stanley Cup Final Game 4 - Devils vs Kings
2,069,000
73
NHL Sharks–Red Wings
1,940,000
74
Stanley Cup Final Game 3 - Devils vs Kings
1,743,000
75
Eastern Conference Final Game 5 - Capitals vs Rangers
1,650,000
76
Eastern Conference First Round Game 4 - Flyers vs Penguins
1,030,000
77
WNBA Finals Game 2 - Fever vs Lynx
778,000
78
NHL Bruins–Rangers
664,000
79
NHL Flyers–Red Wings
600,000
80
WNBA Finals Game 4 - Fever vs Lynx
433,000
81
WNBA Finals Game 1 - Fever vs Lynx
343,000
82
WNBA Finals Game 3 - Fever vs Lynx
337,000
83
NHL Devils–Canadiens
203,000
83 eligible telecasts · computed 2026-10-30 21:57 UTC