Just past the halfway point of 2021, here is a look at the 50 most-watched sporting events of the year so far.
It would be premature to call 2021 a return to normal, given the ratings for most marquee events remain among the lowest on record. The Super Bowl was the lowest rated since 1969 and least-watched since 2006. The NBA Finals averaged its second-lowest rating ever and fourth-smallest audience. The final round of the Masters averaged its second-lowest rating since 1957 and its second-smallest audience since 1993. Even the NCAA men’s basketball final, easily the most-watched non-football sportscast since the industry went dark in March of last year, was the second-lowest rated and least-watched ever.
Yet the numbers are a good deal healthier than last year, whether compared to the post-apocalpytic wasteland that marked the first half of the year, or the avalanche of fanless, months-delayed events that filled the second half. Not counting football games, 11 sporting events have already topped the nine million mark so far this year — more than all of last year (seven), with the Olympics and MLB Postseason still to come.
As usual, the Super Bowl ranks as easily the most-watched event in sports (and all of U.S. television), averaging 91.63 million viewers on CBS (96.4 million across all platforms). The NFL took the top 14 spots, followed by college football’s Sugar Bowl (19.15M).
50 most-watched sports telecasts of 2021
| SportsMediaWatch.com | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | DATE | SPORT | GAME | RTG | VWRS | NET(S) |
| 1 | 2/7 | NFL | Buccaneers – Chiefs Super Bowl |
38.2 | 91.63M | CBS |
| 2 | 1/24 | NFL | Buccaneers – Packers NFC Championship |
23.0 | 44.77M | FOX |
| 3 | 1/24 | NFL | Bills – Chiefs AFC Championship |
21.1 | 41.85M | CBS |
| 4 | 1/17 | NFL | Buccaneers – Saints NFC Divisional |
18.1 | 35.46M | FOX |
| 5 | 1/17 | NFL | Browns – Chiefs AFC Divisional |
18.3 | 34.33M | CBS |
| 6 | 1/10 | NFL | Bears – Saints NFC Wild Card |
16.4 | 30.65M | CBS, NICK |
| 7 | 1/16 | NFL | Rams – Packers NFC Divisional |
14.1 | 26.50M | FOX |
| 8 | 1/16 | NFL | Ravens – Bills AFC Divisional |
13.7 | 26.24M | NBC |
| 9 | 1/10 | NFL | Ravens – Titans AFC Wild Card |
14.2 | 24.82M | ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, Freeform |
| 10 | 1/10 | NFL | Browns – Steelers AFC Wild Card |
13.4 | 24.78M | NBC |
| 11 | 1/9 | NFL | Rams – Seahawks NFC Wild Card |
12.7 | 23.96M | FOX |
| 12 | 1/3 | NFL | mostly Packers-Bears Week 17 late DH |
12.25 | 23.01M | FOX |
| 13 | 1/9 | NFL | Buccaneers – WFT NFC Wild Card |
11.5 | 21.37M | NBC |
| 14 | 1/9 | NFL | Colts – Bills AFC Wild Card |
11.6 | 20.08M | CBS |
| 15 | 1/1 | CFB | Ohio State – Clemson Sugar Bowl |
9.8 | 19.15M | ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS |
| 16 | 1/1 | CFB | Alabama – Notre Dame Rose Bowl (Arlington, Tex.) |
9.6 | 18.89M | ESPN, ESPN2 ESPNU, ESPNEWS |
| 17 | 1/11 | CFB | Alabama – Ohio State CFP National Championship |
10.3 | 18.65M | ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS |
| 18 | 4/5 | CBB | Baylor – Gonzaga Men’s National Championship |
9.4 | 16.92M | CBS |
| 19 | 1/3 | NFL | WFT – Eagles Week 17 SNF |
9.2 | 16.55M | NBC |
| 20 | 4/3 | CBB | Gonzaga – UCLA Men’s National Semifinal |
7.6 | 14.94M | CBS |
| 21 | 5/1 | Horse | Kentucky Derby Race segment |
7.4 | 14.37M | NBC |
| 22 | 1/3 | NFL | mostly Cowboys – Giants Week 17 early DH |
7.9 | 13.92M | FOX |
| 23 | 1/3 | NFL | mostly Cardinals – Rams Week 17 late DH |
7.4 | 13.51M | CBS |
| 24 | 1/3 | NFL | mostly Steelers – Browns Week 17 early DH |
7.4 | 13.14M | CBS |
| 25 | 4/29 | NFL | NFL Draft round 1 | 7.0 | 12.52M | ESPN, ABC, NFLN |
| 26 | 7/20 | NBA | Suns – Bucks NBA Finals Game 6 |
6.6 | 12.52M | ABC |
| 27 | 7/14 | NBA | Suns – Bucks NBA Finals Game 4 |
5.3 | 10.26M | ABC |
| 28 | 7/17 | NBA | Bucks – Suns NBA Finals Game 5 |
4.8 | 9.62M | ABC |
| 29 | 4/11 | Golf | Final round of the Masters | 5.5 | 9.45M | CBS |
| 30 | 7/11 | Soccer | Italy – England UEFA “Euro 2020” final |
— | 9.4M | ESPN, Univision, TUDN |
| 31 | 7/8 | NBA | Bucks – Suns NBA Finals Game 2 |
5.1 | 9.38M | ABC |
| 32 | 3/28 | CBB | Michigan – FSU Men’s Sweet Sixteen |
5.1 | 9.03M | CBS |
| 33 | 7/11 | NBA | Suns – Bucks NBA Finals Game 3 |
4.7 | 9.02M | ABC |
| 34 | 1/1 | CFB | Georgia – Cincinnati Peach Bowl |
4.9 | 8.73M | ESPN, ESPN2 |
| 35 | 7/6 | NBA | Bucks – Suns NBA Finals Game 1 |
4.5 | 8.56M | ABC |
| 36 | 7/13 | MLB | All-Star Game | 4.5 | 8.24M | FOX |
| 37 | 4/3 | CBB | Baylor – Houston Men’s Final Four |
4.4 | 8.18M | CBS |
| 38 | 3/21 | CBB | Syracuse – WVU Men’s second round |
4.5 | 7.86M | CBS |
| 39 | 3/21 | CBB | Baylor – Wisconsin Men’s second round |
4.5 | 7.74M | CBS |
| 40 | 1/2 | CFB | Texas A&M – UNC Orange Bowl |
4.3 | 7.58M | ESPN |
| 41 | 3/27 | CBB | Baylor – Villanova Men’s Sweet Sixteen |
4.2 | 7.54M | CBS |
| 42 | 7/12 | MLB | Home Run Derby | 3.4* | 7.13M | ESPN, ESPN2 |
| 43 | 5/15 | Horse | Preakness Stakes | 3.9 | 7.01M | NBC |
| 44 | 6/19 | NBA | Bucks – Nets Second round Game 7 |
3.5 | 6.91M | TNT |
| 45 | 3/30 | CBB | UCLA – Michigan Elite Eight |
3.95 | 6.89M | TBS |
| 46 | 1/2 | CFB | Iowa State – Oregon Fiesta Bowl |
3.8 | 6.68M | ESPN |
| 47 | 3/28 | CBB | Gonzaga – Creighton Men’s Sweet Sixteen |
3.9 | 6.66M | CBS |
| 48 | 5/23 | Golf | Final round of the PGA Championship |
3.9 | 6.58M | CBS |
| 49 | 3/28 | CBB | Alabama – UCLA Men’s Sweet Sixteen |
3.7 | 6.51M | TBS |
| 50 | 3/29 | CBB | Baylor – Arkansas Men’s Elite Eight |
3.8 | 6.45M | CBS |
* Home Run Derby rating is for the ESPN telecast only, while viewership includes both ESPN and ESPN2 (“Statcast”) telecasts.
Select events outside of the top 50
The following is a list of select sporting events that did not make the top 50. This is not a complete list, but a hodgepodge of notable events, with some skipped.
| SportsMediaWatch.com | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DATE | SPORT | GAME | RTG | VWRS | NET |
| 6/20 | NBA | Hawks – Sixers Second round Game 7 |
3.2 | 6.16M | TNT |
| 3/21 | CBB | Loyola (IL) – Illinois Men’s second round |
3.75 | 6.16M | CBS |
| 3/27 | CBB | Arkansas – Oral Roberts Men’s Sweet Sixteen |
3.2 | 5.94M | TBS |
| 3/7 | NBA | NBA All-Star Game | 3.1 | 5.94M | TNT, TBS |
| 3/29 | CBB | Houston – Oregon State Men’s Elite Eight |
3.5 | 5.92M | CBS |
| 6/30 | NBA | Suns – Clippers West Finals Game 6 |
3.2 | 5.86M | ESPN |
| 3/22 | CBB | Michigan – LSU Men’s second round |
3.55 | 5.85M | CBS |
| 6/26 | OLY | U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials Women’s finals |
3.2 | 5.75M | NBC |
| 6/28 | NBA | Clippers – Suns West Finals Game 5 |
3.1 | 5.75M | ESPN |
| 3/27 | CBB | Oregon State – Loyola (IL) Men’s Sweet Sixteen |
3.4 | 5.74M | CBS |
| 6/20 | Golf | Final round of the U.S. Open | 3.2 | 5.67M | NBC |
| 5/18 | NBA | Warriors – Lakers NBA Play-in Tournament |
3.2 | 5.62M | ESPN |
| 6/27 | NBA | Bucks – Hawks East Finals Game 3 |
3.1 | 5.60M | TNT |
| 5/30 | Indy | Indianapolis 500 | 3.15 | 5.55M | NBC |
| 6/26 | NBA | Suns – Clippers West Finals Game 4 |
2.8 | 5.54M | ESPN |
| 3/27 | CBB | Houston – Syracuse Men’s Sweet Sixteen |
3.0 | 5.52M | TBS |
| 6/6 | NBA | Mavericks – Clippers First round Game 7 |
3.0 | 5.49M | ABC |
| 4/30 | NFL | NFL Draft Rounds 2-3 |
3.3 | 5.49M | ESPN, ABC, NFLN |
| 3/14 | CBB | Men’s NCAA Selection Show | — | 5.46M | CBS |
| 3/30 | CBB | Gonzaga – USC Men’s Elite Eight |
3.1 | 5.40M | TBS |
| 5/30 | NBA | Suns – Lakers First round Game 4 |
— | 5.38M | ABC |
| 6/24 | NBA | Suns – Clippers West Finals Game 3 |
2.9 | 5.33M | ESPN |
| 6/23 | NBA | Hawks – Bucks East Finals Game 1 |
3.0 | 5.30M | TNT |
| 6/22 | NBA | Clippers – Suns West Finals Game 2 |
3.0 | 5.27M | ESPN |
| 7/3 | NBA | Bucks – Hawks East Finals Game 6 |
2.6 | 5.24M | TNT |
| 4/10 | Golf | Third round of the Masters | 3.1 | 5.18M | CBS |
| 2/14 | NCS | Daytona 500 | 2.8 | 4.83M | FOX |
| 1/1 | CFB | Auburn – Northwestern Citrus Bowl |
2.8 | 4.78M | ABC |
| 2/21 | NCS | Daytona Roval | 2.8 | 4.75M | FOX |
| 4/25 | NCS | Talladega | 2.8 | 4.70M | FOX |
| 3/14 | Golf | Final round of the Players Championship |
2.8 | 4.59M | NBC |
| 6/5 | Horse | Belmont Stakes Race portion |
2.6 | 4.5M | NBC |
| 3/19 | CBB | Oral Roberts – Ohio State Men’s first round |
2.7 | 4.41M | CBS |
| 2/14 | Golf | Final round at Pebble Beach | 2.55 | 4.19M | CBS |
| 7/18 | Golf | Final round of the British Open | 2.5 | 4.09M | NBC |
| 4/4 | CBB | Stanford – Arizona Women’s National Championship |
2.0 | 4.08M | ESPN |
| 3/14 | CBB | Illinois – Ohio State Men’s Big Ten Tournament Final |
2.2 | 3.68M | CBS |
| 5/21 | NBA | Grizzlies – Warriors NBA Play-in Tournament |
2.1 | 3.63M | ESPN |
| 6/20 | OLY | U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials Final night |
— | 3.54M | NBC |
| 7/7 | NHL | Canadiens – Lightning Stanley Cup Final Game 5 |
1.9 | 3.51M | NBC |
| 7/10 | Soccer | Brazil – Argentina Copa America final |
— | 3.5M* | Univision, TUDN |
| 2/13 | NBA | Nets – Warriors Regular season |
1.5 | 2.56M | ABC |
| 7/11 | UFC | UFC 264 prelims | — | 1.62M | ESPN |
| 2/17 | Tennis | Osaka – Serena Australian Open semifinal |
— | 1.41M | ESPN |
| 6/26 | SRX | Race three Most-watched race of season |
— | 1.37M | CBS |
| 7/10 | Other | ESPY Awards | — | 1.21M | ABC |
| 6/20 | F1 | French Grand Prix Most-watched race of season |
0.6 | 1.06M | ESPN |
| 2/21 | NHL | Flyers – Bruins NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe |
0.6 | 1.02M | NBCSN |
| 5/16 | Other | 2020 Basketball Hall of Fame Induction |
— | 711K | ESPN |
| 7/11 | WNBA | Aces – Wings Most-watched game of season |
— | 643K | ABC |
* Brazil-Argentina also averaged 1.84 million viewers on FS1, but that includes pre-match coverage. Figures for the FS1 match window were not immediately available.
