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

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Los Angeles, CA - August 27, 2021 - LAPC: Linda Cohn on the set of SportsCenter.
(Photo by Allen Kee / ESPN Images)

Linda Cohn to retire from ESPN next week

23 hours ago

Longtime "SportsCenter" anchor Linda Cohn is retiring from ESPN a week from Tuesday.

3ERY2GN Seattle, USA. 19th June, 2026. Alex Freeman (2nd L) of the United States celebrates a goal with teammates during the group D match between the United States and Australia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Seattle Stadium in Seattle, the United States, June 19, 2026. Credit: Peng Ziyang/Xinhua/Alamy Live News

USMNT-Australia latest to rank among most-watched World Cup matches

3 days ago

The second USMNT match of the World Cup delivered another milestone audience.

Mexico goalkeeper Raul Rangel (1) makes a save on the goal line during the World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Korea in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

World Cup continues hitting high marks entering second week

4 days ago

The FIFA World Cup continues to set or approach viewership marks as it enters its second week.

Alex Pereira, left, fights Ciryl Gane during their interim heavyweight title bout at UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, June 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

UFC sees larger audience for White House event

4 days ago

One of the more attention-grabbing sporting events in recent years attracted a larger-than-usual audience to UFC.

2YMP04D The National Football League West Coast Office is located outside of Sofi Stadium in Inglewood CA, in the Los Angeles suburbs.

News: Packers-SBA, Jason McCourty, Fox-ESPN and more

The Green Bay Packers reportedly oppose changes to the Sports Broadcasting Act; Jason McCourty signs an exclusive multiyear deal with...

3EP3T1H Washington, District Of Columbia, USA. 13th June, 2026. United Bowl 2026 padding and signage are displayed throughout Audi Field in preparation for the UFL 2026 United Bowl game between the Louisville Kings and D.C Defenders at Audi Stadium in Washington, D.C on Jun 13th, 2026. (Credit Image: © Israel Anta via ZUMA Press Wire) EDITORIAL USAGE ONLY! Not for Commercial USAGE!

UFL viewership holds steady in year three

Viewership for the third season of the UFL was on par with the second. The recently-completed UFL season averaged 674,000...

Stanley Cup Playoffs most-watched on record

The Stanley Cup Playoffs enjoyed an Olympic-sized jump in viewership.

New York, NY - May 19, 2026 - Madison Square Garden: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during game 1 of the 2026 NBA Eastern Conference finals.
(Photo by Ben Solomon / ESPN Images)

NBA wraps year of highs with most-watched playoffs since 1998

The most-watched NBA Finals since 1998 capped the most-watched NBA Playoffs since 1998.

Brazil's Vinicius Junior (7) celebrates a goal iduring the World Cup Group C soccer match between Brazil and Morocco in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Saturday, June 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Brazil-Morocco dominant viewership draw as World Cup continues hot start

6 days ago

After milestone audiences for Mexico last Thursday and the United States on Friday, Brazil kept the momentum going into the...

Las Vegas, NV - June 14, 2026 - T-Mobile Arena: Jordan Staal (11) of the Carolina Hurricanes holding the Conn Smythe Trophy after winning game six and the 2026 Stanley Cup Final.
(Photo by Phil Ellsworth / ESPN Images)

Canes-Knights officially among top five most-watched Cup finals

Hurricanes-Golden Knights ended up as one of the more memorable -- and most-watched -- Stanley Cup finals.

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?

9 months ago

In ESPN-NFL Media deal, risks outweighed by rewards

11 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

10 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?

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

San Antonio, TX - June 13, 2026 - Frost Bank Center: Ernie Johnson with Karl-Anthony Towns (32) of the New York Knicks holding the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy after winning game five and the 2026 NBA Finals.
(Photo by Rich Storry / ESPN Images)

ABC

Knicks’ coronation averages 24.5 million, capping most-watched NBA Finals since 1998

Broadcasters

CBC to no longer broadcast NHL games starting next season

Big Names

News: Roku, Rangers Sports Network, Paramount-WBD and more

Carolina Hurricanes players celebrate after a goal by Andrei Svechnikov during the second period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series against the Vegas Golden Knights in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)

ABC

Cup Final ratings, viewership, hit another high in penultimate game

Amazon

NASCAR ratings continue to diverge based on methodology

Courtesy: Derek Futterman, Sports Media Watch

ABC

Scenes from an electric NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden