Most-watched sports telecasts, May 2026
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.
47
eligible telecasts
updated 2026-10-30
Most-watched sports telecasts, May 2026
1
Kentucky Derby
18,030,000
2
San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder
15,900,000
3
NBA Thunder–Spurs
11,590,000
4
Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics
10,990,000
5
NBA Thunder–Spurs
9,200,000
6
San Antonio Spurs at Minnesota Timberwolves
7,900,000
7
Western Conference Finals Game 2 - Spurs vs Thunder
7,770,000
8
Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks
7,100,000
9
NBA Cavaliers–Knicks
7,100,000
10
Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs
7,030,000
11
Detroit Pistons at Cleveland Cavaliers
7,010,000
12
Los Angeles Lakers at Oklahoma City Thunder
6,800,000
13
Cleveland Cavaliers at Detroit Pistons
6,530,000
14
NBA Knicks–Sixers
6,300,000
15
Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers
5,900,000
16
PGA Championship Round 4
5,760,000
17
New York Knicks at Philadelphia 76ers
5,700,000
18
San Antonio Spurs at Minnesota Timberwolves
5,220,000
19
Los Angeles Lakers at Oklahoma City Thunder
5,080,000
20
Los Angeles Lakers at Houston Rockets
4,450,000
21
Detroit Pistons at Cleveland Cavaliers
4,130,000
22
Coca-Cola 600
3,060,000
23
Coca-Cola 600
3,060,000
24
Montreal Canadiens at Buffalo Sabres
2,960,000
25
MLB Mariners–Padres
2,500,000
26
Dallas Wings at Indiana Fever
2,490,000
27
Colorado Avalanche at Minnesota Wild
2,360,000
28
Eastern Conference First Round Game 7 - Canadiens vs Lightning
2,310,000
29
Chicago Cubs at St. Louis Cardinals
2,304,000
30
NASCAR Cup Texas
2,290,000
31
Western Conference Second Round Game 1 - Avalanche vs Wild
2,220,000
32
Buffalo Sabres at Montreal Canadiens
2,120,000
33
NHL Golden Knights–Avalanche
2,100,000
34
NHL Golden Knights–Avalanche
2,100,000
35
Cracker Barrel 400
2,010,000
36
NHL Hurricanes–Canadiens
2,000,000
37
San Diego Padres at Seattle Mariners
1,804,000
38
NASCAR Cup Dover
1,800,000
39
NHL Hurricanes–Canadiens
1,700,000
40
New York Yankees at Kansas City Royals
1,630,000
41
Indianapolis 500
1,590,000
42
Dallas Wings at New York Liberty
1,300,000
43
Tampa Bay Rays at Boston Red Sox
1,028,000
44
Tampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens
1,000,000
45
St. Louis Cardinals at San Diego Padres
884,000
46
Seattle Mariners at Houston Astros
370,000
47
Cleveland Guardians at Detroit Tigers
370,000
47 eligible telecasts · computed 2026-10-30 20:36 UTC