Sports Ratings Tracker

The full US Open tennis tournament averaged 1.1 million viewers on the ESPN networks, up 39% from last year and the highest since Serena Williams last played the event in 2022. Keep in mind that between Nielsen’s new “Big Data + Panel” methodology and its February expansion of out of-home viewing, this year’s figures have a built-in advantage over past years.

For more on the numbers, see this article.

WNBA games averaged 1.3 million viewers across ESPN and ABC during the 2025 regular season, up 6% from last year and the most-watched WNBA season ever on the ESPN networks. Keep in mind that the season average is based on the new Nielsen “Big Data + Panel” metric, which could potentially account for all of the year-over-year gain.

The ESPN networks accounted for eight of the ten most-watched WNBA games this season.

FOX averaged 4.28 million viewers for Iowa State-Iowa on “Big Noon Saturday,” unsurprisingly down from Texas-Michigan last year (9.2M), followed by 2.7 million for Delaware-Colorado.

Fueled by the previous week’s Texas-Ohio State game (16.6M), the FOX “Big Noon” window is now averaging 10.4 million viewers — up 52% from the same point last year. Keep in mind that between Nielsen’s new “Big Data + Panel” methodology and offseason expansion of out-of-home viewing, this season’s viewership figures have built-in advantages over all previous years.

Michigan-Oklahoma averaged 9.7 million viewers on the latest edition of ABC’s “Saturday Night Football,” the network’s most-watched week two game since 2006 and the fifth-largest audience of the young season. Keep in mind that between Nielsen’s new “Big Data + Panel” methodology and offseason expansion of out-of-home viewing, this season’s viewership figures have built-in advantages over all previous years.

ABC also averaged 4.8 million for Mississippi-Kentucky and 3.7 million for San Jose State-Texas. The network is averaging 7.5 million viewers through two weeks, the highest at this point of the season since 2006, with the above caveats regarding Nielsen methodologies.

The ESPN cable networks topped out at 2.2 million for Illinois-Duke, followed by 1.8 million for Kansas-Missouri. The ESPN networks are averaging 3.2 million, the highest through two weeks since 2009, again with caveats regarding changes in Nielsen measurement.

The latest edition of ESPN’s “College Gameday” averaged 2.6 million viewers across ESPN and ESPNU, the second-largest audience ever for the show — with the caveat that Nielsen’s “Big Data” and out-of-home metrics are likely the only reason why viewership surpassed the previous #2 show, a November 2007 edition from the site of a Missouri-Kansas game (2.62M).

During the 11 AM ET hour, “Gameday” averaged 3.3 million — surpassing “Big Noon Kickoff” on FOX at 2.58 million.

Sunday’s Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner US Open men’s final averaged 3.0 million viewers on ABC, marking the largest audience for the event in a decade and an 82% increase over last year’s final between Sinner and Taylor Fritz.

The previous day’s Aryna Sabalenka-Amanda Anisimova women’s final averaged 2.4 million, up 50% from Sabalenka-Jessica Pegula a year ago.

Keep in mind that Nielsen as of last week began using a new methodology that combines its existing panel with “Big Data” for set-top boxes and smart TVs, a figure that will generally be higher than the panel-only numbers that were the currency previously.

Having said that, the year-over-year gains were so substantial that it is highly likely viewership would have been up considerably all things being equal.

(Correction 9/10: The men’s final had 3.0 million, not 3.2 million. The 3.2 million figure is the decade-ago 2015 figure.)

The season premiere of NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” (Ravens-Bills) averaged 24.7 million viewers across Nielsen and Adobe Analytics, the highest for SNF in Week 1 of the season in three years. With an Adobe Analytics audience of 3.0 million, the Nielsen-measured viewership would clock in around 21.7 million.

Keep in mind Nielsen is using a new methodology this season that combines its existing panel with “Big Data” for set-top boxes and smart TVs, a figure that will generally be higher than the panel-only numbers that were the currency prior to this year.

As previously noted, last Thursday’s Cowboys-Eagles Kickoff Game averaged 28.3 million (5.0 million per Adobe Analytics, meaning a Nielsen-only audience of about 23.3 million).

NBC averaged 26.5 million viewers for its Week 1 slate, its highest since 2015. Again, keep in mind that prior year averages did not include “Big Data.”

Saturday’s Baylor-SMU college football game averaged 1.0 million viewers on CW, the network’s third-largest college football audience (keeping in mind that this is the first year of Nielsen “Big Data + Panel” measurement). CW also drew 565,000 for Fresno State-Oregon State and 540,000 for San Diego State-Washington State.

All three games outdrew the week one CW contest, Idaho-Washington State at 364,000.

Saturday’s Oklahoma State-Oregon college football game averaged 2.32 million viewers on CBS. That is up 2% from 2.28 million for Iowa State-Iowa last year, but the difference could easily be made up by the change in Nielsen methodology.

Compared to the prior week, viewership increased from 2.24 million for Nevada-Penn State in week one.

FOX averaged 17.9 million viewers for the Week 1 NFL singleheader, featuring Giants-Commanders, marking the largest Week 1 audience for the window since 2015. That was also the last time that FOX carried a singleheader in Week 1.

In addition, Nielsen is using a new methodology this season that combines its existing panel with “Big Data” for set-top boxes and smart TVs, a figure that will generally be higher than the panel-only numbers that were the currency prior to this year.

Keep in mind that Nielsen is using a new methodology this season that combines its existing panel with “Big Data” for set-top boxes and smart TVs, a figure that will generally be higher than the panel-only numbers that were the currency prior to this year.

CBS averaged an 11.0 rating and 23.89 million viewers for its Week 1 NFL national window, featuring Lions-Packers, marking the network’s largest Week 1 audience since 1998.

The network’s early game window, featuring Steelers-Jets, averaged an 8.0 and 17.05 million — its second-largest Week 1 audience in that window since 1998. Combined, the Week 1 doubleheader averaged a 9.4 and 20.38 million (+15%).

The numbers come with some caveats. CBS has only aired two other unopposed Week 1 doubleheaders since 1998, one in 2000 and the other in 2015.

In addition, Nielsen is using a new methodology this season that combines its existing panel with “Big Data” for set-top boxes and smart TVs, a figure that will generally be higher than the panel-only numbers that were the currency prior to this year.

Saturday’s Texas-Ohio State college football game averaged 16.62 million viewers on FOX, marking the largest week one college football audience on record, with the caveat that Nielsen’s “Big Data + Panel” metric dates back only three years.

The Buckeyes’ win was one of four college football games in week one to top the ten million viewer mark. On ABC, Notre Dame-Miami averaged 10.8 million viewers on Sunday night, Florida State’s upset of Alabama drew 10.7 million Saturday afternoon, and LSU-Clemson drew 10.4 million in the season premiere of Saturday Night Football.

For more, see this article.

The Week 1 edition of ESPN’s “College Gameday,” which marked the final appearance of the retiring Lee Corso, averaged 3.5 million viewers according to Nielsen fast-nationals — the largest audience ever for the show. As might go without saying, viewership peaked in the final quarter-hour — when Corso made his final headgear pick — at 5.1 million viewers.

For more on the numbers, see this article.

Last weekend’s Kansas State-Iowa State college football game from Dublin, Ireland, topped the “week zero” slate with 4.01 million viewers across ESPN and ESPNU, down 20% from Florida State-Georgia Tech last year (4.99M), but up from Notre Dame-Navy on NBC two years ago (3.56M).

For more on the “week zero” numbers, see this article.

NFL preseason games averaged 2.2 million viewers across TV and digital platforms, up 17% from last year and the highest average since 2018. That includes an average of 1.8 million for games on NFL Network, the league-owned channel’s largest preseason audience on record and an increase of 26% from last year.

NFL Network had its most-watched preseason game since 2015 with 49ers-Raiders averaging 2.5 million viewers on August 16.

In addition to the previously noted 5.1 million viewers for Bears-Bills on FOX and 6.2 million for the Chargers-Lions Hall of Fame Game on NBC, ESPN averaged 2.90 million for Bengals-Commanders on August 18 and CBS drew 2.56 million for Vikings-Titans on August 22.

Last weekend’s Saturday night NASCAR Cup Series race from Daytona averaged a 1.8 rating and 3.30 million viewers on NBC, down 10% in ratings and 6% in viewership from last year (1.9, 3.5M). The race was delayed a half-hour due to a red flag, during which viewership dipped by 10 percent from the previous half-hour.

Ryan Blaney’s win, which peaked with 3.6 million viewers, was still the most-watched Cup Series race since Talladega in April. Not coincidentally, it was also the first race on broadcast television since Talladega.

The corresponding Xfinity Series race drew a 0.6 and 1.09 million on CW, up 35% and 33% respectively from last year on USA (0.46, 820K) and the largest audience for the race since 2018 on NBCSN.

The previous Saturday night at Richmond, the Cup Series drew a 0.75 and 1.4 million on USA Network — down sharply from last year, when the race was run on a Sunday night (2.22M).

Coverage of the US Open tennis tournament has averaged 710,000 viewers across the ESPN family of networks through the second round, up 29% from last year. That includes an average of 784,000 for the opening day of play last Sunday on ABC and ESPN2 (1.06M on ABC alone), up 78% from last year’s Monday start.

Coverage of the Little League Baseball tournament averaged 812,000 viewers across the ESPN family of networks, up 17% from last year, with the Little League World Series averaging 1.0 million (+2%).

Last Saturday’s United States Championship (Las Vegas-Fairfield, Conn.) was the most-watched game of the tournament with 2.8 million viewers, followed by the World Championship the following day at 2.4 million (Taiwan-Las Vegas). Both games were down from last year’s comparable audiences of 3.0 and 3.5 million respectively.

The International Championship (Taiwan-Aruba) drew 1.3 million.

Coverage of the 2025 BIG3 basketball season averaged 560,000 viewers on CBS, up 23% from last year (456K). Last weekend’s championship averaged 507,000.

NBC averaged 2.38 million viewers for coverage of the PGA TOUR this season, up 18% from last year. That is in line with the 17% increase CBS posted for its coverage, which averaged 2.97 million viewers.

The main portion of last weekend’s final round of the TOUR Championship, the final event of the PGA Tour FedEx Cup, averaged 4.5 million viewers on NBC (not including streaming viewership tracked by Adobe Analytics) — the second-largest audience for the tournament since 2018.

Only the main final round window two years ago averaged a larger audience (4.6M), and that was primarily because it aired in a later and shorter window due to inclement weather.

The full TOUR Championship averaged 2.0 million viewers, up 59% from last year and the highest since — of all years — 2020.

The prior week’s final round of the BMW Championship averaged 3.5 million viewers, up 43% from last year, with the full four-round average of 1.6 million up 30%.

This year’s NBA Finals Game 7 averaged a 31.9 rating in Oklahoma City and a 25.1 in Indianapolis, according to TVB. Tulsa ranked third at a 20.8, with Chicago and Cleveland as the top neutral markets with a 10.9. San Antonio (10.5), Milwaukee (10.2) and Minneapolis-St. Paul (10.1) rounded out the top eight.

Nationally, the June 22 contest had 7.6 rating and 16.6 million viewers on ABC.

WNBA regular season games on CBS averaged 1.17 million viewers, up 6% from last year’s eight-game slate and the network’s most-watched season. The network’s season finale, Liberty-Dream on Saturday, averaged 595,000.

The latest edition of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry averaged 2.57 million viewers on ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” over the weekend, marking the third-largest audience of the MLB season — behind only Yankees-Dodgers on ESPN June 1 (2.73M) and regional action featuring Red Sox-Yankees on FOX June 7 (3.0M).

The Yankees’ win, which peaked with 2.89 million viewers in the 8:15 PM ET quarter-hour, nearly doubled last year’s comparable Astros-Orioles game (1.31M).

Over on FOX, a Thursday night window featuring Yankees-Red Sox averaged a 1.3 rating and 2.33 million viewers — up from a 1.1 and 1.95 million last year.

Going back to the prior weekend, FOX averaged a 1.1 and 2.01 million (+17%) for its usual Saturday regional, while ESPN drew just shy of 1.7 million for the Mariners-Mets “Little League Classic” (-22%).

New York Yankees games on YES Network are averaging 292,000 viewers so far this season, up 5% from last year (277K). Nearly half of the games this season have averaged at least 300,000 viewers, compared to a third at the same point last year.