Most-watched sports telecasts of 2016
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.
564
eligible telecasts
updated 2026-09-15
Most-watched sports telecasts of 2016
1
Super Bowl 50, Broncos vs Panthers
112,336,000
2
AFC Championship Game, Broncos vs Patriots
53,299,000
3
NFC Championship Game, Cardinals vs Panthers
45,739,000
4
World Series Game 7, Cubs vs Guardians
40,045,000
5
Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys
35,100,000
6
Rio 2016 Olympics — Prime time
33,400,000
7
Rio 2016 Olympics — Prime time
31,200,000
8
NBA Finals Game 7, Cavaliers vs Warriors
31,020,000
9
Rio 2016 Olympics — Prime time
29,800,000
10
Rio 2016 Olympics — Prime time
28,900,000
11
Dallas Cowboys at Pittsburgh Steelers
28,900,000
12
Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers
28,000,000
13
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions
27,600,000
14
New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys
27,500,000
15
Rio 2016 Olympics — Prime time
26,700,000
16
Rio 2016 Olympics — Opening Ceremony
26,500,000
17
Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants
26,500,000
18
Rio 2016 Olympics — Prime time
26,400,000
19
CFP National Championship, Alabama vs Clemson
26,180,000
20
Rio 2016 Olympics — Prime time
25,500,000
21
New York Giants at Pittsburgh Steelers
25,400,000
22
Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers
25,300,000
23
Carolina Panthers at Denver Broncos
25,200,000
24
New England Patriots at Denver Broncos
25,000,000
25
Philadelphia Eagles at Seattle Seahawks
24,400,000
26
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
24,300,000
27
Rio 2016 Olympics — Prime time
24,300,000
28
Rio 2016 Olympics — Prime time
24,100,000
29
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys
24,100,000
30
Rio 2016 Olympics — Prime time
24,000,000
31
World Series Game 5, Cubs vs Guardians
23,638,000
32
Carolina Panthers at Oakland Raiders
23,500,000
33
World Series Game 6, Cubs vs Guardians
23,396,000
34
New England Patriots at Arizona Cardinals
23,100,000
35
Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings
22,800,000
36
Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers
22,700,000
37
Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons
22,700,000
38
Seattle Seahawks at New England Patriots
22,500,000
39
Pittsburgh Steelers at Philadelphia Eagles
22,000,000
40
Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings
21,800,000
41
Rio 2016 Olympics — Prime time
21,700,000
42
New England Patriots at Pittsburgh Steelers
21,700,000
43
Indianapolis Colts at Denver Broncos
21,400,000
44
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs
21,400,000
45
Cincinnati Bengals at Dallas Cowboys
21,300,000
46
Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals
20,900,000
47
Pittsburgh Steelers at Indianapolis Colts
20,900,000
48
NBA Finals Game 6, Cavaliers vs Warriors
20,700,000
49
Rio 2016 Olympics — Prime time
20,700,000
50
Rio 2016 Olympics — Prime time
20,600,000
51
Chicago Bears at Dallas Cowboys
20,600,000
52
NBA Finals Game 5, Cavaliers vs Warriors
20,530,000
53
Indianapolis Colts at Green Bay Packers
20,200,000
54
Dallas Cowboys at Cleveland Browns
20,200,000
55
Rio 2016 Olympics — Prime time
20,100,000
56
World Series Game 3, Cubs vs Guardians
19,384,000
57
World Series Game 1, Cubs vs Guardians
19,368,000
58
Washington Huskies at Alabama Crimson Tide
19,344,000
59
Ohio State Buckeyes at Clemson Tigers
19,237,000
60
NBA Finals Game 1, Cavaliers vs Warriors
19,200,000
61
Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins
19,200,000
62
Washington Redskins at New York Giants
19,200,000
63
Green Bay Packers at Washington Redskins
18,700,000
64
Detroit Lions at New York Giants
18,700,000
65
Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys
18,600,000
66
Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos
18,400,000
67
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
18,400,000
68
Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders
18,300,000
69
Kansas City Chiefs at Pittsburgh Steelers
18,100,000
70
Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys
18,000,000
71
New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles
17,900,000
72
Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks
17,800,000
73
Villanova Wildcats at North Carolina Tar Heels
17,752,000
74
Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals
17,700,000
75
Baltimore Ravens at Dallas Cowboys
17,600,000
76
Houston Texans at New England Patriots
17,500,000
77
NBA Finals Game 2, Cavaliers vs Warriors
17,490,000
78
Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs
17,400,000
79
World Series Game 2, Cubs vs Guardians
17,395,000
80
Rio 2016 Olympics — Closing Ceremony
17,000,000
81
Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles
16,900,000
82
Michigan Wolverines at Ohio State Buckeyes
16,841,000
83
Seattle Seahawks at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
16,800,000
84
World Series Game 4, Cubs vs Guardians
16,705,000
85
New York Giants at Green Bay Packers
16,600,000
86
NBA Finals Game 4, Cavaliers vs Warriors
16,570,000
87
Atlanta Falcons at Denver Broncos
16,500,000
88
NBA Finals Game 3, Cavaliers vs Warriors
16,470,000
89
Western Conference Finals Game 7, Thunder vs Warriors
15,996,000
90
Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia Eagles
15,900,000
91
Green Bay Packers at Jacksonville Jaguars
15,800,000
92
Kentucky Derby
15,500,000
93
Rio 2016 Olympics — Prime time
15,400,000
94
New York Jets at Buffalo Bills
15,400,000
95
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints
15,400,000
96
Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers
14,800,000
97
Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks
14,700,000
98
Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers
14,500,000
99
Chicago Bears at New York Giants
14,300,000
100
Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers
14,200,000
Top 100 of 564 eligible telecasts · computed 2026-09-15 09:00 UTC