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.
38
eligible telecasts
updated 2026-09-15
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
Detroit Pistons at Cleveland Cavaliers
7,010,000
11
Los Angeles Lakers at Oklahoma City Thunder
6,800,000
12
Indianapolis 500
6,635,000
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
Los Angeles Lakers at Oklahoma City Thunder
5,080,000
19
Coca-Cola 600
3,060,000
20
Montreal Canadiens at Buffalo Sabres
2,960,000
21
MLB Mariners–Padres
2,500,000
22
Dallas Wings at Indiana Fever
2,490,000
23
Colorado Avalanche at Minnesota Wild
2,360,000
24
Eastern Conference First Round Game 7, Canadiens vs Lightning
2,310,000
25
NASCAR Cup Texas
2,290,000
26
Western Conference Second Round Game 1, Avalanche vs Wild
2,220,000
27
NHL Golden Knights–Avalanche
2,100,000
28
NHL Golden Knights–Avalanche
2,100,000
29
Cracker Barrel 400
2,010,000
30
NHL Hurricanes–Canadiens
2,000,000
31
NASCAR Cup Dover
1,800,000
32
NHL Hurricanes–Canadiens
1,700,000
33
New York Yankees at Kansas City Royals
1,630,000
34
Dallas Wings at New York Liberty
1,300,000
35
Golden State Valkyries at Indiana Fever
1,090,000
36
Tampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens
1,000,000
37
Seattle Mariners at Houston Astros
370,000
38
Cleveland Guardians at Detroit Tigers
370,000
38 eligible telecasts · computed 2026-09-15 11:10 UTC