Most-watched sports telecasts of the 1970s
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.
76
eligible telecasts
updated 2026-10-30
Most-watched sports telecasts of the 1970s
1
Super Bowl XII - Broncos vs Cowboys
78,940,000
2
Super Bowl XIII - Cowboys vs Steelers
74,740,000
3
Super Bowl XI - Raiders vs Vikings
62,050,000
4
Super Bowl X - Cowboys vs Steelers
57,710,000
5
Super Bowl VI - Cowboys vs Dolphins
56,640,000
6
Super Bowl IX - Steelers vs Vikings
56,050,000
7
Super Bowl VII - Commanders vs Dolphins
53,320,000
8
Super Bowl VIII - Dolphins vs Vikings
51,700,000
9
World Series Game 7 - Red Sox vs Reds
51,560,000
10
World Series Game 6 - Dodgers vs Yankees
50,600,000
11
World Series Game 7 - Orioles vs Pirates
49,890,000
12
Super Bowl V - Colts vs Cowboys
46,040,000
13
World Series Game 5 - Dodgers vs Yankees
45,870,000
14
Super Bowl IV - Chiefs vs Vikings
44,270,000
15
World Series Game 6 - Dodgers vs Yankees
44,200,000
16
World Series Game 3 - Dodgers vs Yankees
43,810,000
17
World Series Game 6 - Orioles vs Pirates
43,640,000
18
World Series Game 1 - Dodgers vs Yankees
43,510,000
19
World Series Game 2 - Dodgers vs Yankees
42,720,000
20
World Series Game 6 - Red Sox vs Reds
41,570,000
21
World Series Game 7 - Athletics vs Reds
41,438,000
22
World Series Game 5 - Red Sox vs Reds
40,710,000
23
World Series Game 7 - Athletics vs Mets
39,935,000
24
World Series Game 4 - Dodgers vs Yankees
39,220,000
25
World Series Game 5 - Orioles vs Pirates
39,090,000
26
World Series Game 4 - Orioles vs Pirates
38,898,000
27
World Series Game 4 - Reds vs Yankees
38,790,000
28
World Series Game 4 - Athletics vs Reds
38,210,000
29
World Series Game 1 - Orioles vs Pirates
38,140,000
30
World Series Game 3 - Athletics vs Mets
38,030,000
31
World Series Game 3 - Red Sox vs Reds
37,910,000
32
World Series Game 3 - Athletics vs Reds
37,880,000
33
World Series Game 7 - Orioles vs Pirates
37,420,000
34
World Series Game 3 - Dodgers vs Yankees
37,410,000
35
World Series Game 5 - Athletics vs Mets
37,364,000
36
World Series Game 5 - Dodgers vs Yankees
37,010,000
37
World Series Game 1 - Dodgers vs Yankees
36,960,000
38
World Series Game 4 - Athletics vs Mets
36,670,000
39
World Series Game 2 - Orioles vs Pirates
36,320,000
40
World Series Game 3 - Reds vs Yankees
36,250,000
41
World Series Game 2 - Dodgers vs Yankees
35,880,000
42
World Series Game 2 - Athletics vs Mets
35,661,000
43
1979 NCAA championship game - Michigan State vs Indiana State
35,110,000
44
World Series Game 4 - Red Sox vs Reds
34,640,000
45
World Series Game 5 - Athletics vs Dodgers
31,610,000
46
World Series Game 4 - Dodgers vs Yankees
31,460,000
47
World Series Game 3 - Orioles vs Pirates
31,420,000
48
World Series Game 2 - Athletics vs Dodgers
30,470,000
49
1975 NCAA championship game - Kentucky vs UCLA
30,085,000
50
World Series Game 6 - Athletics vs Reds
30,048,000
51
World Series Game 3 - Athletics vs Dodgers
29,830,000
52
World Series Game 4 - Athletics vs Dodgers
29,760,000
53
World Series Game 6 - Athletics vs Mets
28,610,000
54
World Series Game 6 - Orioles vs Pirates
28,095,000
55
World Series Game 1 - Athletics vs Mets
27,444,000
56
World Series Game 2 - Athletics vs Reds
27,331,000
57
World Series Game 4 - Orioles vs Pirates
27,210,000
58
1976 NCAA championship game - Michigan vs Indiana
26,710,000
59
1977 NCAA championship game - North Carolina vs Marquette
26,400,000
60
1978 NCAA championship game - Duke vs Kentucky
25,378,000
61
World Series Game 1 - Orioles vs Pirates
24,778,000
62
World Series Game 2 - Red Sox vs Reds
24,320,000
63
World Series Game 1 - Athletics vs Dodgers
23,750,000
64
World Series Game 1 - Reds vs Yankees
23,730,000
65
World Series Game 5 - Athletics vs Reds
23,120,000
66
World Series Game 1 - Athletics vs Reds
22,534,000
67
World Series Game 1 - Red Sox vs Reds
20,990,000
68
Daytona 500
15,100,000
69
World Series Game 1 - Orioles vs Reds
14,120,000
70
World Series Game 2 - Orioles vs Pirates
13,633,000
71
World Series Game 3 - Orioles vs Pirates
13,633,000
72
World Series Game 5 - Orioles vs Pirates
13,633,000
73
World Series Game 2 - Orioles vs Reds
13,400,000
74
World Series Game 3 - Orioles vs Reds
10,340,000
75
World Series Game 4 - Orioles vs Reds
10,340,000
76
World Series Game 5 - Orioles vs Reds
10,340,000
76 eligible telecasts · computed 2026-10-30 20:36 UTC