Sports Media Watch: TV ratings, schedules and the latest news

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News: NFL, SEC, MLB and more

4 days ago

NFL manager/scheduling planning analytics Max St. John discusses the league's Sunday afternoon slate; SEC commissioner Greg Sankey believes that its...

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) is challenged by San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) during the first half of Game 4 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series in San Antonio, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Viewership remains at multi-year highs for NBA conference finals

4 days ago

The NBA conference finals continues to deliver multi-year viewership highs.

Kyle Larson (5) leads a pack of cars into Turn 4 during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, May 24, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)

NASCAR Coke 600 ratings tell different stories depending on methodology

5 days ago

The viewership story for NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 depends on the methodology.

Felix Rosenqvist, foreground, of Sweden, beats David Malukas to the finish line to win the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

Indy 500 viewership dips, but still nears high, in year two on FOX

5 days ago

Despite an all-time finish, the Indianapolis 500 could not quite match last year's milestone audience.

2XWWA53 New York, New York, USA. 20th Aug, 2024. View of Paramount office building on Times Square in New York on August 20, 2024 as Paramount Global considered to be sold through acquisition. Consortium led by Skydance Media and tech scion David Ellison and consortium led by Edgar Bronfman Jr. bid to buy Paramount Global through acquisition of National Amusements which is home of Paramount Pictures, the CBS broadcast network and MTV. (Credit Image: © Lev Radin/ZUMA Press Wire)

News: Paramount-WBD, FIFA World Cup, NFL and more

6 days ago

Paramount reportedly appears closer to receiving regulatory approval for its WBD merger transaction; Fox is said to be paying less...

On the Air: Debate vs. discussion and the state of sports TV talk

by Armand Broady

1 week ago

On the latest "On the Air," Armand Broady examines the state of sports TV talk shows one year after the...

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) defends against San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) during the second half of Game 2 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Spurs-Thunder sets new viewer mark in Game 2; Cavs-Knicks opens at high

The Spurs and Thunder delivered a second-straight milestone audience in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.

Kyle Busch, (8) prepars during the first of two NASCAR Daytona 500 qualifying auto races at Daytona International Speedway, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Death of NASCAR driver Busch is latest shock for the sport

NASCAR driver Kyle Busch died after a sudden illness Thursday.

Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield (13) celebrates victory following the overtime period in Game 7 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series against the Buffalo Sabres Monday, May 18, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

Canadiens-Sabres scores top audiences of resurgent Stanley Cup Playoffs

Despite pairing the league's smallest U.S. market against a Canadian team, Canadiens-Sabres delivered the two largest audiences of a strong...

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts next to Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) after a dunk during the first half in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series Monday, May 18, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

After early round gains, NBA starts WCF with milestone for Spurs-Thunder

A highly-anticipated Western Conference Finals seems poised to turbocharge an NBA playoff audience already up double-digits through the first two...

NBA Media Coverage

The LED court in Amazon's NBA studio. (Amazon)

Media Rights Analysis

Are early NFL negotiations a trap or saving grace for linear?

8 months ago

In ESPN-NFL Media deal, risks outweighed by rewards

10 months ago

How will ESPN fill its Sunday Night Baseball vacancy?

Why NASCAR cut back on broadcast, not cable, in its new rights deal

What does the NBA media rights deal mean for its audience?

League and Event Profiles

New NBA media rights deal will be a “learning curve” for fans

9 months ago

Jul 19, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Team Collier guard Paige Bueckers (5) looks on before the 2025 WNBA All Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

WNBA at crossroads as second half begins

11 months ago

Dec 13, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) makes a three point basket over the defense of Los Angeles Lakers guard Max Christie (12) in the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Are the NBA’s ratings really a referendum on quality of play?

Sep 22, 2024; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) runs with the ball during the first quarter against Indiana Fever during game one of the first round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-Imagn Images

How Caitlin Clark raised the bar for the WNBA

2XNYTJ2 Paris, France. 02nd Aug, 2024. Olympia, Paris 2024: The Olympic rings light up the Eiffel Tower. Credit: Jan Woitas/dpa/Alamy Live News

Network Profiles

DALLAS, TX - FEBRUARY 09: A cameraman for the NHL on TNT shoots the action during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Nashville Predators on February 9, 2022 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire)

The show goes on at TNT Sports, but for how long?

12 months ago

Nov 30, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; NBA TV sideline reporter Dennis Scott (left) interviews Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James after the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

A niche concern: League-specific networks face end of an era

“Inside the NBA” latest example of ESPN’s new approach to content

2XA5TCM New York, United States. 03rd June, 2024. HBO's ''House Of The Dragon'' Season 2 Premiere. David Zaslav is attending HBO's ''House Of The Dragon'' Season 2 Premiere at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, New York, USA, on June 03, 2024. (Photo by Thenews2/NurPhoto) Credit: NurPhoto SRL/Alamy Live News

Can WBD build something out of a little bit of everything?

Dec 1, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; ESPN mics are seen before the game between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

More than nostalgia: How NBC thrived and ESPN failed with the NBA

Big Names

News: NFL International Series, Versant, NBC Sports and more

Aaron Rai, of England, putts on the 17th green during the final round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Aronimink Golf Club, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Newtown Square, PA. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

CBS

PGA Championship hits ratings, viewership highs

NASCAR

NASCAR moving away from Nielsen “Big Data + Panel” metric

Atlanta, GA - March 7, 2026 - Turner Studios: Shaquille O'Neal , Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley during the 2026 NBA marketing campaign featuring Inside the NBA on ESPN.
(Photo by Allen Kee / ESPN Images)

ESPN

“Inside” crew staying in Atlanta for conference finals ahead of first Finals trip

Big Names

News: Fox Sports, Charlie Neal, NBA Draft Lottery and more

Amazon

The Needle: Is the NBA ready for Prime’s Game 7?