Sports Media Watch

20 hours ago

LIV Golf is winding down its operations; Nexstar will look at marquee sports rights; and Stefano Domenicali expects Apple to...

Fox Corporation closes quick acquisition of Roku

22 hours ago

Fox Corporation has closed its $22 billion acquisition of Roku, broadening its streaming portfolio and providing another potential outlet for...

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) falls while defending Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) during the second half of an NBA Cup basketball game, Saturday, Oct. 30, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)

NBA viewership trending at high through first two weeks

2 days ago

The second season of the new NBA media rights deal is thus far off to an even better start than...

Golden State Valkyries guard-forward Kaila Charles (6) during Game 3 of a WNBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Dallas Wings, Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

WNBA has most-watched playoffs since inaugural season

2 days ago

Capped by the first Game 7 in its history, the WNBA had its most-watched postseason since its inaugural year. The...

MLB Network to continue airing “Intentional Talk”

3 days ago

The afternoon talk show "Intentional Talk" will continue airing on MLB Network after the program was slated for cancelation earlier...

The Golden State Valkyries celebrate their win over the Atlanta Dream in Game 7 of the WNBA basketball finals on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

WNBA Finals Game 7 among league’s most-watched games

3 days ago

The WNBA Finals ended with one of the league's largest audiences and delivered cable's top sports audience of a college...

News: Fox Corporation, Versant, MLB and more

4 days ago

Fox Corporation discusses FIFA World Cup rights; Versant CEO Mark Lazarus projects "some rationalization of portfolios" in sports; and MLB...

Washington, DC - September 19, 2026 - ABC News Bureau: Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon on the set of Pardon the Interruption.
(Photo by Brien Aho / ESPN Images)

Michael Wilbon taking leave of absence from “PTI” due to health issues

5 days ago

Little more than a week after the show celebrated its 25th anniversary, "Pardon the Interruption" will be without one half...

Atlanta Dream's Allisha Gray (15) reacts during the second half of Game 6 of the WNBA basketball finals against the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Weekday matinee WNBA Finals Game 6 audience on par with primetime games

7 days ago

Despite starting at 12:30 PM ET on a weekday, Game 6 of the WNBA Finals averaged an audience in line...

The Milwaukee Brewers celebrate after winning baseball's World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

MLB Postseason viewership hurt by World Series, but still on the high side

7 days ago

The MLB Postseason was among the most-watched in recent years, but a shorter and lesser-watched World Series knocked viewership further...

SMW Podcast

Bomani Jones joins the pod, plus thoughts on Ernie Johnson's exit, World Series ratings and more

0:000:00

Nielsen has reprocessed the viewership for NBC’s four NFL games from Week 1-3 of the season. The Patriots-Seahawks Kickoff Game has been updated to 25.2 million, up from an originally-reported 25.1 million. The Week 1 Cowboys-Giants “Sunday Night Football” game has been updated to 25.82 million, up from 25.66 million. Colts-Chiefs the following week has been updated to 24.43 million, up from 24.29 million. Finally, Rams-Broncos in Week 3 has been updated to 20.96 million, up from 20.77 million.

More Features

San Antonio, TX - June 5, 2026 - Frost Bank Center: Ernie Johnson on Inside the NBA ahead of game two of the 2026 NBA Finals.
(Photo by Ben Solomon / ESPN Images)

It’s time for Dodger baseball: How SportsNet LA covers baseball’s preeminent team

On the Air: Do altcasts like the ManningCast still matter?

Solid, unspectacular debut for Nantz and Watt

3F8626M Luke Kuechly, a Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 inductee, meets with members of the 910th Airlift Wing from Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio, during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, on August 6, 2026.

On the Air: Kuechly keeps it simple in Netflix debut

Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray, foreground right, walks toward the bench as Golden State Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes, left, is congratulated by teammates after scoring during the second half of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball finals, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Ratings

WNBA Finals nears Game 5 high, but viewership takes hit from competition

Atlanta, GA - March 7, 2026 - Turner Studios: 2026 NBA marketing campaign featuring Inside the NBA on ESPN.
(Photo by Allen Kee / ESPN Images)

Broadcasters

ESPN reportedly committed to “Inside the NBA” sans Johnson, Barkley

Carriage deals

NFL Sunday Ticket verdict reinstated by Ninth Circuit panel

Inglewood, CA - October 12, 2026 - SoFi Stadium: Troy Aikman prior to a regular season Monday Night Football game.
(Photo by Phil Ellsworth / ESPN Images)

Broadcasters

ESPN ‘reluctant’ to resume talks with Aikman over cost-cutting, Buck rift

Seattle Seahawks nose tackle Byron Murphy II (91) attempts to sack Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) during an NFL football game in Seattle, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben VanHouten)

CBS

NFL viewership growth is picking up pace

Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt watches his solo home run off Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Ian Seymour, right, leave the park during the 12th inning of Game 4 of baseball's World Series, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla., between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

FOX

World Series viewership bounces back in final games