Ratings Reference
Publishers

ESPN

46 telecasts with figures · 83 published claims
46
telecasts on the record
updated 2026-10-29

Top leagues

by most-watched telecast
1
NFL
Houston Texans at New England Patriots · 2026-01-18
37,900,000
9 telecasts
2
NBA
Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks · 2026-05-19
7,100,000
17 telecasts
3
College Football
North Carolina Tar Heels at TCU Horned Frogs · 2026-08-29
4,900,000
1 telecast
4
MLB
New York Mets at Milwaukee Brewers · 2024-10-03
4,017,000
6 telecasts
5
Tennis
2026 US Open Tennis, Men's Singles Final - Ben Shelton vs Alexander Zverev · 2026-09-13
3,230,000
3 telecasts

How they report

Providers citedNielsen 59
Figure typescurrency 59
Provider attribution75% confirmed · 25% press-attributed

Confirmed means reconciled to the provider's own release; press-attributed figures cite the provider through the outlet.

Publishing2024-01-30 to 2026-10-28
Revisions2 revised figures · 4 supersede an earlier claim

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 →
2026-10-26Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles18,800,000
2026-10-25Pittsburgh Steelers at New Orleans Saints7,700,000
2026-10-22Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers2,500,000
2026-10-22Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder1,800,000
2026-10-21Minnesota Timberwolves at Miami Heat2,520,000
2026-10-21Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers2,460,000
2026-10-19Washington Commanders at San Francisco 49ers17,900,000
2026-10-18Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars6,400,000
2026-10-11Philadelphia Eagles at Jacksonville Jaguars8,100,000
2026-09-29Florida Panthers at Carolina Hurricanes859,000
2026-09-28Philadelphia Eagles at Chicago Bears22,600,000
2026-09-21New York Giants at Los Angeles Rams19,400,000
2026-09-14Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs23,200,000
2026-09-132026 US Open Tennis, Men's Singles Final - Ben Shelton vs Alexander Zverev3,230,000
2026-09-122026 US Open Tennis, Women's Singles Final - Elena Rybakina vs Aryna Sabalenka2,740,000
2026-09-102026 US Open Tennis, Women's Semifinals2,240,000
2026-08-29North Carolina Tar Heels at TCU Horned Frogs4,900,000
2026-08-23Atlanta Braves at Milwaukee Brewers2,020,000
2026-08-16Indiana Fever at Atlanta Dream2,580,000
2026-07-05Indiana Fever at Las Vegas Aces1,600,000
2026-05-19Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks7,100,000
2026-04-18Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers5,200,000
2026-03-21Boston Bruins at Detroit Red Wings1,300,000
2026-03-16Pittsburgh Penguins at Colorado Avalanche503,000
2026-01-31New York Rangers at Pittsburgh Penguins1,400,000
2026-01-18Houston Texans at New England Patriots37,900,000
2025-12-25Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors6,100,000
2025-11-26Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors2,031,000
2025-11-26Minnesota Timberwolves at Oklahoma City Thunder2,433,000
2025-10-22NBA Cavaliers–Knicks2,170,000
2025-10-22NBA Spurs–Mavericks2,490,000
2025-10-07Chicago Blackhawks at Florida Panthers743,000
2025-05-18New York Mets at New York Yankees2,539,000
2025-05-18Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder6,340,000
2025-04-19Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers5,838,000
2025-03-08Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics4,610,000
2024-12-25NBA 76ers–Celtics5,242,000
2024-12-25NBA Spurs–Knicks4,913,000
2024-10-03New York Mets at Milwaukee Brewers4,017,000
2024-09-01Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies1,577,000
2024-06-23Indiana Fever at Chicago Sky2,300,000
2024-06-16New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox2,070,000
2024-06-02St. Louis Cardinals at Philadelphia Phillies1,653,000
2024-05-14Phoenix Mercury at Las Vegas Aces464,000
2024-02-17Philadelphia Flyers at New Jersey Devils1,130,000
2024-01-27Philadelphia 76ers at Denver Nuggets2,623,000