Ratings Reference
Publishers

Sports Media Watch

11,092 telecasts with figures · 12,414 published claims
11,092
telecasts on the record
updated 2026-10-31

Top leagues

by most-watched telecast
1
NFL
Super Bowl LIX · 2025-02-09
127,700,000
1,264 telecasts
2
MLB
World Series Game 7 · 1986-10-27
52,100,000
807 telecasts
3
Olympics
London 2012 Olympics — Opening Ceremony · 2012-07-27
40,700,000
81 telecasts
4
College Basketball
1979 NCAA championship game · 1979-03-26
35,110,000
792 telecasts
5
FIFA
Belgium at United States · 2026-07-06
33,090,000
80 telecasts

How they report

Providers citedNielsen 11,335 · blend 388 · platform self-report 1
Figure typescurrency 11,698 · combined definition 25 · self-report 1
Provider attribution0% confirmed · 100% press-attributed

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

Publishing2008-10-22 to 2026-10-31
Revisions42 revised figures · 105 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 →
2002-05-28Western Conference Finals Game 514,586,000
2002-05-27Eastern Conference Finals Game 47,640,000
2002-05-26Western Conference Finals Game 49,659,000
2002-05-25Eastern Conference Finals Game 35,711,000
2002-05-24Western Conference Finals Game 310,063,000
2002-05-21Eastern Conference Finals Game 23,804,000
2002-05-20Western Conference Finals Game 25,538,000
2002-05-19Eastern Conference Finals Game 18,667,000
2002-05-18Western Conference Finals Game 19,153,000
2002-04-14Masters Tournament Round 413,100,000
2002-04-012002 NCAA championship game23,686,000
2002-03-302002 NCAA national semifinal14,422,000
2002-03-302002 NCAA national semifinal18,466,000
2002-01-27NFC Championship Game37,429,000
2002-01-27AFC Championship Game33,313,000
2001-06-17U.S. Open Championship Round 410,300,000
2001-06-03Eastern Conference Finals Game 713,520,000
2001-06-01Eastern Conference Finals Game 69,210,000
2001-05-30Eastern Conference Finals Game 510,320,000
2001-04-08Masters Tournament Round 419,200,000
2001-04-022001 NCAA championship game23,970,000
2001-03-312001 NCAA national semifinal13,202,000
2001-03-312001 NCAA national semifinal18,323,000
2000-07-23British Open Championship Round 48,600,000
2000NBA Finals - Lakers vs Pacers6 games
2000-06-07NBA Finals Game 115,340,000
2000-06-09NBA Finals Game 214,970,000
2000-06-11NBA Finals Game 316,370,000
2000-06-14NBA Finals Game 418,940,000
2000-06-16NBA Finals Game 515,570,000
2000-06-19NBA Finals Game 622,400,000
2000-06-18U.S. Open Championship Round 411,300,000
2000-04-09Masters Tournament Round 413,600,000
2000-04-032000 NCAA championship game20,587,000
2000-04-012000 NCAA national semifinal15,245,000
2000-04-012000 NCAA national semifinal12,643,000
2000-02-20Daytona 50012,936,000
1999-06-20U.S. Open Championship Round 49,600,000
1999-04-11Masters Tournament Round 413,800,000
1999-03-291999 NCAA championship game26,304,000
1999-03-271999 NCAA national semifinal16,990,000
1999-03-271999 NCAA national semifinal13,646,000
1999-02-14Daytona 50014,518,000
1998-06-21U.S. Open Championship Round 48,000,000
1998NBA Finals - Bulls vs Jazz2 games
1998-06-07NBA Finals Game 325,700,000
1998-06-10NBA Finals Game 428,790,000
1998-04-12Masters Tournament Round 415,600,000
1998-03-301998 NCAA championship game26,601,000
1998-03-281998 NCAA national semifinal15,000,000
1998-03-281998 NCAA national semifinal19,403,000
1997-06-15U.S. Open Championship Round 49,200,000
1997NBA Finals - Bulls vs Jazz6 games
1997-06-01NBA Finals Game 124,710,000
1997-06-04NBA Finals Game 222,270,000
1997-06-06NBA Finals Game 320,950,000
1997-06-08NBA Finals Game 426,360,000
1997-06-11NBA Finals Game 530,260,000
1997-06-13NBA Finals Game 628,700,000
1997-04-13Masters Tournament Round 420,300,000
1997-03-311997 NCAA championship game28,364,000
1997-03-291997 NCAA national semifinal14,090,000
1997-03-291997 NCAA national semifinal19,324,000
1996-06-16U.S. Open Championship Round 47,300,000
1996-04-14Masters Tournament Round 412,400,000
1996-04-011996 NCAA championship game26,670,000
1995World Series - Braves vs Guardians6 games
1995-10-21World Series Game 125,150,000
1995-10-22World Series Game 229,350,000
1995-10-24World Series Game 328,720,000
1995-10-25World Series Game 428,670,000
1995-10-26World Series Game 531,710,000
1995-10-28World Series Game 630,280,000
1995-06-18U.S. Open Championship Round 47,000,000
1995-04-09Masters Tournament Round 413,000,000
1995-04-031995 NCAA championship game27,405,000
1994-04-041994 NCAA championship game32,733,000
1993-04-051993 NCAA championship game32,941,000
1992-04-061992 NCAA championship game34,310,000
1991-04-011991 NCAA championship game29,020,000
1990-04-021990 NCAA championship game29,260,000
1989-04-031989 NCAA championship game31,120,000
1988-04-041988 NCAA championship game26,690,000
1987-03-301987 NCAA championship game32,060,000
1986-10-27World Series Game 752,100,000
1986-03-311986 NCAA championship game28,710,000
1985-04-011985 NCAA championship game31,230,000
1984-04-021984 NCAA championship game25,140,000
1983-04-041983 NCAA championship game32,140,000
1982-03-291982 NCAA championship game30,589,000
1981-03-301981 NCAA championship game29,060,000
1979-03-261979 NCAA championship game35,110,000
1978-03-271978 NCAA championship game25,378,000
1977-03-281977 NCAA championship game26,400,000
1976-03-291976 NCAA championship game26,710,000
1975-03-311975 NCAA championship game30,085,000