Most-watched sports telecasts of the 2000s
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.
473
eligible telecasts
updated 2026-10-30
Most-watched sports telecasts of the 2000s
1
Super Bowl XLIII - Cardinals vs Steelers
98,732,000
2
Super Bowl XLII - Giants vs Patriots
97,448,000
3
Super Bowl XLI - Bears vs Colts
93,184,000
4
Super Bowl XL - Seahawks vs Steelers
90,745,000
5
Super Bowl XXXVIII - Panthers vs Patriots
89,795,000
6
Super Bowl XXXVII - Buccaneers vs Raiders
88,637,000
7
Super Bowl XXXIV - Rams vs Titans
88,465,000
8
Super Bowl XXXVI - Patriots vs Rams
86,801,000
9
Super Bowl XXXIX - Eagles vs Patriots
86,072,000
10
Super Bowl XXXV - Giants vs Ravens
84,335,000
11
NFC Championship Game - Giants vs Packers
53,937,000
12
AFC Championship Game - Colts vs Patriots
46,695,000
13
AFC Championship Game - Chargers vs Patriots
44,840,000
14
AFC Championship Game - Patriots vs Steelers
44,334,000
15
NFC Championship Game - Bears vs Saints
43,247,000
16
NFC Championship Game - Eagles vs Falcons
42,937,000
17
AFC Championship Game - Raiders vs Titans
41,456,000
18
AFC Championship Game - Ravens vs Steelers
40,645,000
19
NFC Championship Game - Eagles vs Panthers
40,444,000
20
AFC Championship Game - Colts vs Patriots
40,115,000
21
World Series Game 7 - Diamondbacks vs Yankees
39,084,000
22
AFC Championship Game - Broncos vs Steelers
39,001,000
23
NFC Championship Game - Buccaneers vs Eagles
38,741,000
24
NFC Championship Game - Cardinals vs Eagles
38,387,000
25
NFC Championship Game - Eagles vs Rams
37,429,000
26
NFC Championship Game - Panthers vs Seahawks
35,233,000
27
AFC Championship Game - Patriots vs Steelers
33,313,000
28
ALCS Game 7 - Red Sox vs Yankees
31,460,000
29
World Series Game 7 - Angels vs Giants
30,814,000
30
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
29,800,000
31
World Series Game 4 - Cardinals vs Red Sox
28,844,000
32
ALCS Game 7 - Red Sox vs Yankees
27,490,000
33
NLCS Game 7 - Cubs vs Marlins
26,510,000
34
Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots
25,500,000
35
World Series Game 2 - Cardinals vs Red Sox
25,463,000
36
New England Patriots at New York Jets
25,200,000
37
ALCS Game 6 - Red Sox vs Yankees
25,090,000
38
World Series Game 3 - Cardinals vs Red Sox
24,422,000
39
San Diego Chargers at Dallas Cowboys
24,100,000
40
2001 NCAA championship game - Duke vs Arizona
23,970,000
41
Pittsburgh Steelers at Chicago Bears
23,900,000
42
2005 NCAA championship game - Illinois vs North Carolina
23,895,000
43
Western Conference Finals Game 7 - Kings vs Lakers
23,796,000
44
World Series Game 4 - Diamondbacks vs Yankees
23,692,000
45
2002 NCAA championship game - Maryland vs Indiana
23,686,000
46
World Series Game 2 - Diamondbacks vs Yankees
23,550,000
47
World Series Game 3 - Diamondbacks vs Yankees
23,407,000
48
World Series Game 6 - Marlins vs Yankees
23,240,000
49
World Series Game 1 - Cardinals vs Red Sox
23,168,000
50
World Series Game 4 - Phillies vs Yankees
22,761,000
51
World Series Game 6 - Diamondbacks vs Yankees
22,672,000
52
NBA Finals Game 6 - Lakers vs Pacers
22,400,000
53
World Series Game 6 - Phillies vs Yankees
22,339,000
54
NBA Finals Game 5 - Lakers vs Pistons
21,840,000
55
World Series Game 5 - Diamondbacks vs Yankees
21,323,000
56
World Series Game 4 - Red Sox vs Rockies
20,946,000
57
World Series Game 4 - Marlins vs Yankees
20,885,000
58
2000 NCAA championship game - Florida vs Michigan State
20,587,000
59
World Series Game 2 - Marlins vs Yankees
20,552,000
60
NBA Finals Game 4 - Lakers vs Pistons
20,300,000
61
NBA Finals Game 3 - 76ers vs Lakers
20,280,000
62
World Series Game 4 - Astros vs White Sox
19,979,000
63
NBA Finals Game 4 - 76ers vs Lakers
19,970,000
64
World Series Game 5 - Marlins vs Yankees
19,919,000
65
NLCS Game 7 - Astros vs Cardinals
19,810,000
66
2007 NCAA championship game - Florida vs Ohio State
19,563,000
67
World Series Game 1 - Phillies vs Yankees
19,511,000
68
2008 NCAA championship game - Kansas vs Memphis
19,501,000
69
Daytona 500
19,400,000
70
World Series Game 2 - Angels vs Giants
19,368,000
71
NLCS Game 6 - Cubs vs Marlins
19,360,000
72
World Series Game 6 - Angels vs Giants
19,221,000
73
Masters Tournament Round 4
19,200,000
74
ALCS Game 7 - Guardians vs Red Sox
19,150,000
75
World Series Game 2 - Mets vs Yankees
19,045,000
76
NBA Finals Game 7 - Pistons vs Spurs
19,000,000
77
NBA Finals Game 4 - Lakers vs Pacers
18,940,000
78
World Series Game 5 - Mets vs Yankees
18,927,000
79
World Series Game 2 - Phillies vs Yankees
18,897,000
80
World Series Game 3 - Marlins vs Yankees
18,889,000
81
Daytona 500
18,800,000
82
NBA Finals Game 2 - 76ers vs Lakers
18,720,000
83
Daytona 500
18,700,000
84
NBA Finals Game 1 - 76ers vs Lakers
18,580,000
85
2003 NCAA championship game - Syracuse vs Kansas
18,573,000
86
2002 NCAA national semifinal - Maryland vs Kansas
18,466,000
87
ALCS Game 1 - Red Sox vs Yankees
18,430,000
88
NLCS Game 2 - Cubs vs Marlins
18,430,000
89
2001 NCAA national semifinal - Duke vs Maryland
18,323,000
90
World Series Game 2 - Cardinals vs Tigers
18,165,000
91
World Series Game 4 - Angels vs Giants
18,085,000
92
Daytona 500
17,800,000
93
ALCS Game 5 - Red Sox vs Yankees
17,800,000
94
Daytona 500
17,800,000
95
New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons
17,800,000
96
World Series Game 1 - Marlins vs Yankees
17,687,000
97
2009 NCAA championship game - Michigan State vs North Carolina
17,649,000
98
World Series Game 4 - Mets vs Yankees
17,611,000
99
World Series Game 1 - Mets vs Yankees
17,556,000
100
2005 NCAA national semifinal - North Carolina vs Michigan State
17,548,000
Top 100 of 473 eligible telecasts · computed 2026-10-30 20:35 UTC