Ratings Reference
Networks

ESPN

2,614 telecasts with figures · 2,713 published claims
2,614
telecasts on the record
updated 2026-09-14

Top events · ESPN

1
North Carolina Tar Heels at TCU Horned Frogs
2026-08-29 · ESPN · Disney+
4,900,000
College Football
2
SMU Mustangs at Florida State Seminoles
2026-09-07 · ESPN
4,070,000
College Football
3
Colorado Buffaloes at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
2026-09-03 · ESPN
3,734,000
College Football
4
Las Vegas Raiders at Houston Texans
2026-08-20 · ESPN
3,400,000
NFL
5
NC State Wolfpack at Virginia Cavaliers
2026-08-29 · ESPN
3,200,000
College Football
6
Texas State Bobcats at Texas Longhorns
2026-09-05 · ESPN
2,309,000
College Football
7
2026 US Open tennis, day 12 of 15 (Thursday, September 10)
2026-09-10 · ESPN
2,200,000
Tennis
8
Atlanta Braves at Milwaukee Brewers
2026-08-23 · ESPN
2,020,000
MLB
9
Miami Hurricanes at Stanford Cardinal
2026-09-04 · ESPN
1,978,000
College Football
10
Indiana Fever at Toronto Tempo
2026-08-18 · ESPN
1,850,000
WNBA

Top leagues

by most-watched telecast
1
NFL
Houston Texans at New England Patriots · 2026-01-18
38,000,000
190 telecasts
2
College Football
CFP National Championship · 2015-01-12
33,400,000
906 telecasts
3
FIFA
2014 FIFA World Cup United States–Portugal · 2014-06-22
18,200,000
11 telecasts
4
NBA
Eastern Conference Finals Game 7 · 2018-05-27
13,591,000
619 telecasts
5
FIFA Women's
2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Japan–United States · 2011-07-17
13,458,000
3 telecasts

Top teams

by most-watched telecast
1
Texans
Houston Texans at New England Patriots · 2026-01-18
38,000,000
13 telecasts
2
Patriots
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills · 2021-12-06
14,910,000
11 telecasts
3
Chiefs
Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs · 2025-01-18
33,800,000
14 telecasts
4
Oregon
CFP National Championship · 2015-01-12
33,400,000
29 telecasts
5
Ohio State
Alabama Crimson Tide at Ohio State Buckeyes · 2015-01-01
28,270,000
25 telecasts

Telecasts with figures

date

date the telecast's air date. On a series row, the year.

Methodology →
telecast

telecast the telecast the figure is attached to, with its air date. A figure with no telecast row is listed without one.

Methodology →
figure

figure the telecast's lead figure: Nielsen average audience, full telecast, as published. Blank when Nielsen has not published one.

Methodology →
2018-04-03Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees507,000
2018-04-02Baltimore Orioles at Houston Astros730,000
2018-04-01St. Louis Cardinals at New York Mets648,000
2018-04-01San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers1,900,000
2018-03-30NBA Pelicans–Cavaliers1,500,000
2018-03-30NBA Clippers–Trail Blazers917,000
2018-03-29Chicago Cubs at Miami Marlins789,000
2018-03-29San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers2,000,000
2018-03-29Cleveland Indians at Seattle Mariners1,000,000
2018-03-28NBA Celtics–Jazz1,200,000
2018-03-21NBA Raptors–Cavaliers1,900,000
2018-03-21NBA Wizards–Spurs1,500,000
2018-03-19NBA Warriors–Spurs1,900,000
2018-03-14NBA Wizards–Celtics1,700,000
2018-03-14NBA Lakers–Warriors1,900,000
2018-03-12NBA Heat–Trail Blazers1,100,000
2018-03-12NBA Spurs–Rockets1,300,000
2018-03-11NBA Cavaliers–Lakers2,200,000
2018-03-10CBB Tar Heels–Cavaliers3,440,000
2018-03-07NBA Cavaliers–Nuggets1,400,000
2018-03-07NBA Raptors–Pistons1,200,000
2018-03-06CBB Cougars–Bulldogs877,000
2018-03-05CBB Dons–Bulldogs721,000
2018-03-04NBA 76ers–Bucks1,300,000
2018-03-02NBA Raptors–Wizards1,100,000
2018-02-28NBA Rockets–Clippers1,350,000
2018-02-28NBA Warriors–Wizards2,000,000
2018-02-27CBB Gators–Crimson Tide625,000
2018-02-27CBB Hurricanes–Tar Heels1,000,000
2018-02-26CBB Blue Devils–Hokies1,400,000
2018-02-26CBB Longhorns–Jayhawks1,200,000
2018-02-25NBA 76ers–Wizards1,400,000
2018-02-24CBB Orange–Blue Devils1,700,000
2018-02-24CBB Tigers–Wildcats1,200,000
2018-02-23NBA Mavericks–Lakers1,370,000
2018-02-20CBB Wildcats–Razorbacks1,200,000
2018-02-20CBB Fighting Illini–Spartans806,000
2018-02-19CBB Sooners–Jayhawks1,400,000
2018-02-19CBB Hurricanes–Fighting Irish702,000
2018-02-17CBB Mountaineers–Jayhawks1,600,000
2018-02-17CBB Tar Heels–Cardinals1,200,000
2018-02-13CBB Cavaliers–Hurricanes567,000
2018-02-13CBB Sooners–Red Raiders759,000
2018-02-12CBB Bears–Longhorns656,000
2018-02-12CBB Fighting Irish–Tar Heels1,000,000
2018-02-10CBB Wildcats–Aggies1,300,000
2018-02-10CBB Hokies–Cavaliers1,600,000
2018-02-09NBA Clippers–Pistons1,200,000
2018-02-07NBA Spurs–Suns1,100,000
2018-02-06CBB Spartans–Hawkeyes836,000
2018-02-06CBB Volunteers–Wildcats1,300,000
2018-02-05CBB Orange–Cardinals898,000
2018-02-05CBB Mountaineers–Sooners1,600,000
2018-02-03CBB Spartans–Hoosiers1,100,000
2018-02-03CBB Sooners–Longhorns1,400,000
2018-02-02NBA Heat–76ers1,300,000
2018-02-02NBA Warriors–Kings1,800,000
2018-01-31NBA Knicks–Celtics1,500,000
2018-01-31NBA Mavericks–Suns968,000
2018-01-30CBB Tar Heels–Tigers1,100,000
2018-01-30CBB Commodores–Wildcats956,000
2018-01-29CBB Fighting Irish–Blue Devils1,300,000
2018-01-29CBB Jayhawks–Wildcats1,400,000
2018-01-28NBA 76ers–Thunder2,100,000
2018-01-27CBB Wildcats–Mountaineers2,200,000
2018-01-26NBA Rockets–Pelicans1,500,000
2018-01-24NBA Celtics–Clippers1,250,000
2018-01-24NBA Rockets–Mavericks1,280,000
2018-01-23CBB Jayhawks–Sooners1,600,000
2018-01-23CBB Bulldogs–Wildcats1,200,000
2018-01-22CBB Tar Heels–Hokies1,000,000
2018-01-22CBB Mountaineers–Horned Frogs977,000
2018-01-20CBB Gators–Wildcats1,800,000
2018-01-19NBA Knicks–Jazz1,000,000
2018-01-19NBA Wizards–Pistons1,160,000
2018-01-17NBA Nuggets–Clippers1,100,000
2018-01-17NBA Lakers–Thunder1,500,000
2018-01-16CBB Wildcats–Gamecocks1,200,000
2018-01-16CBB Badgers–Boilermakers727,000
2018-01-15CBB Blue Devils–Hurricanes1,300,000
2018-01-15CBB Jayhawks–Mountaineers1,500,000
2018-01-14NBA Trail Blazers–Timberwolves1,100,000
2018-01-12NBA Warriors–Bucks1,800,000
2018-01-12NBA Rockets–Suns1,300,000
2018-01-09CBB Aggies–Wildcats1,320,000
2018-01-09CBB Boilermakers–Wolverines1,240,000
2018-01-08CFP National Championship28,440,000
2018-01-06CBB Tar Heels–Cavaliers1,300,000
2018-01-05NBA Wizards–Grizzlies1,300,000
2018-01-03NBA Cavaliers–Celtics3,200,000
2018-01-03NBA Thunder–Lakers1,950,000
2018-01-01Alabama Crimson Tide at Clemson Tigers
2018-01-01UCF Knights at Auburn Tigers
2018-01-01Georgia Bulldogs at Oklahoma Sooners