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 →
2024-04-09NHL Capitals–Red Wings635,000
2024-04-072024 Japanese Grand Prix484,000
2024-04-03Oklahoma City Thunder at Boston Celtics1,170,000
2024-03-31St. Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers1,820,000
2024-03-28Chicago Cubs at Texas Rangers1,580,000
2024-03-18NBA Heat–76ers1,200,000
2024-03-18NBA Knicks–Warriors1,480,000
2024-03-16CBB Wolfpack–Tar Heels3,240,000
2024-03-15CBB Gamecocks–Tigers1,020,000
2024-03-15CBB Bulldogs–Volunteers962,000
2024-03-15CBB Panthers–Tar Heels1,720,000
2024-03-14CBB Wolfpack–Blue Devils1,390,000
2024-03-14CBB Horned Frogs–Cougars541,000
2024-03-10Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers1,770,000
2024-03-08NBA Bucks–Lakers1,600,000
2024-03-08NBA Timberwolves–Cavaliers1,210,000
2024-03-07NHL Blues–Devils326,000
2024-03-06Milwaukee Bucks at Golden State Warriors1,370,000
2024-03-05CBB Crimson Tide–Gators747,000
2024-03-05CBB Wildcats–Jayhawks801,000
2024-03-03NBA Knicks–Cavaliers1,530,000
2024-03-02CBB Ducks–Wildcats435,000
2024-03-02CBB Cavaliers–Blue Devils1,260,000
2024-03-02CBB Gators–Gamecocks520,000
2024-03-02CBB Bulldogs–Gaels1,010,000
2024-02-27CBB Longhorns–Red Raiders479,000
2024-02-24CBB Blue Devils–Demon Deacons1,220,000
2024-02-24CBB Longhorns–Jayhawks1,400,000
2024-02-24CBB Tar Heels–Cavaliers1,470,000
2024-02-24CBB Fighting Irish–Orange591,000
2024-02-24CBB Aggies–Volunteers961,000
2024-02-24CBB Trojans–Bruins577,000
2024-02-23NBA Cavaliers–76ers1,200,000
2024-02-22NHL Capitals–Lightning361,000
2024-02-21CBB Blue Devils–Hurricanes697,000
2024-02-21CBB Wildcats–Tigers1,010,000
2024-02-19CBB Cyclones–Cougars1,000,000
2024-02-19CBB Cavaliers–Hokies643,000
2024-02-19NHL Red Wings–Kraken414,000
2024-02-17CBB Wildcats–Tigers1,730,000
2024-02-17CBB Jayhawks–Sooners1,370,000
2024-02-12CBB Demon Deacons–Blue Devils999,000
2024-02-12CBB Jayhawks–Red Raiders1,090,000
2024-02-10CBB Crimson Tide–Tigers677,000
2024-02-10CBB Bears–Jayhawks1,430,000
2024-02-10CBB Eagles–Blue Devils796,000
2024-02-10CBB Tar Heels–Hurricanes1,050,000
2024-02-06CBB Red Raiders–Bears576,000
2024-02-06CBB Tigers–Tar Heels1,150,000
2024-02-05CBB Jayhawks–Wildcats1,220,000
2024-02-05CBB Hurricanes–Cavaliers631,000
2024-01-30CBB Tar Heels–Yellow Jackets955,000
2024-01-30CBB Cowboys–Jayhawks642,000
2024-01-26NHL Golden Knights–Rangers569,000
2024-01-24CBB Tigers–Crimson Tide840,000
2024-01-22CBB Bearcats–Jayhawks937,000
2024-01-22CBB Demon Deacons–Tar Heels1,070,000
2024-01-20Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens32,400,000
2024-01-18CBB Bulls–Tigers381,000
2024-01-16CBB Orange–Panthers566,000
2024-01-15Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers29,200,000
2024-01-13CBB Orange–Tar Heels1,130,000
2024-01-11NHL Maple Leafs–Islanders327,000
2024-01-10CBB Tar Heels–Wolfpack1,100,000
2024-01-08CFP National Championship25,050,000
2024-01-06CBB Wildcats–Gators1,490,000
2024-01-04NHL Penguins–Bruins846,000
2024-01-03NBA Heat–Lakers978,000
2024-01-02CBB Orange–Blue Devils1,190,000
2024-01-02CBB Tar Heels–Panthers1,110,000
2024-01-01Alabama Crimson Tide at Michigan Wolverines27,760,000
2024-01-01Liberty Flames at Oregon Ducks4,590,000
2024-01-01Texas Longhorns at Washington Huskies18,400,000
2023-12-30Georgia Bulldogs at Florida State Seminoles10,300,000
2023-12-30Ole Miss Rebels at Penn State Nittany Lions7,770,000
2023-12-29Clemson Tigers at Kentucky Wildcats3,430,000
2023-12-29Iowa State Cyclones at Memphis Tigers3,600,000
2023-12-29Missouri Tigers at Ohio State Buckeyes9,600,000
2023-12-28Arizona Wildcats at Oklahoma Sooners3,930,000
2023-12-28SMU Mustangs at Boston College Eagles1,460,000
2023-12-28NC State Wolfpack at Kansas State Wildcats4,310,000
2023-12-28Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Miami Hurricanes3,000,000
2023-12-27North Carolina Tar Heels at West Virginia Mountaineers3,840,000
2023-12-27Texas A&M Aggies at Oklahoma State Cowboys3,070,000
2023-12-27Virginia Tech Hokies at Tulane Green Wave2,260,000
2023-12-26Bowling Green Falcons at Minnesota Golden Gophers2,220,000
2023-12-26Kansas Jayhawks at UNLV Rebels2,690,000
2023-12-26Texas State Bobcats at Rice Owls2,800,000
2023-12-25NBA 76ers–Heat1,300,000
2023-12-25NBA Bucks–Knicks2,490,000
2023-12-25NBA Celtics–Lakers5,010,000
2023-12-25NBA Mavericks–Suns1,470,000
2023-12-25NBA Warriors–Nuggets4,130,000
2023-12-23Arkansas State Red Wolves at Northern Illinois Huskies1,570,000
2023-12-23Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at San José State Spartans950,000
2023-12-23Eastern Michigan Eagles at South Alabama Jaguars760,000
2023-12-23Georgia State Panthers at Utah State Aggies1,150,000
2023-12-22Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at UCF Knights2,350,000
2023-12-22NBA Wizards–Warriors1,430,000
2023-12-21South Florida Bulls at Syracuse Orange1,050,000