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 2026-09-15
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 2026-09-15 11:10 UTC