NCAA Men’s Title Game Audience up Despite Move From Broadcast to Cable
The 2026 NCAA men’s basketball championship, aired on TBS, TNT, truTV and HBO Max, attracted 18.3 million viewers—up 1% from the 2025 CBS broadcast despite a 4% rating dip. The game posted an 8.8 rating, the highest since the 2019 CBS telecast, and outperformed the 2024 cable‑only final by 20% in ratings and 23% in viewers. Nielsen’s new methodology, which adds smart‑TV and out‑of‑home data, may partially explain the modest gains, but the audience held steady despite moving from broadcast to cable.
News: Nashville Predators, Michael Malone, Sue Bird and More
The Nashville Predators signed a multiyear over‑the‑air agreement with Scripps Sports, moving their regional games to the newly branded “The Spot — Nashville 28” and ending their reliance on the Main Street Sports Network. Former NBA coach and ESPN analyst Michael Malone was...
Women’s Title Game Gets Easter Bounce as Bruin Beatdown Nears Ten Million
The NCAA women’s basketball championship between UCLA and South Carolina drew an average 3.9 rating and 9.88 million viewers across ABC, ESPN and ESPNU, peaking at 10.7 million. The lopsided 35‑point UCLA victory marked the most‑watched women’s tournament game of the Nielsen...
FOX Set to Pick up Big Ten Title Game Shopped by NBC
Fox Sports is set to acquire the 2027 Big Ten football championship from NBC for an estimated $45‑55 million. NBC will retain an additional regular‑season game as part of the compensation package. The transaction corrects a 2023 rights mishap where NBC...
ESPN Reportedly Set for Another Round of Layoffs
ESPN is preparing a new round of layoffs, targeting roughly 30 off‑camera employees in the coming weeks. The cuts stem largely from a $100 million revenue shortfall tied to last year’s YouTube TV blackout of ESPN networks. Sources say the reductions...
NBA Capitalizes on Madness Matinees with Strong Sunday Night Audience
The NBA leveraged its new media rights to air “Sunday Night Basketball” against March Madness, delivering a combined 3.4 million viewers for the Knicks‑Thunder matchup on NBC. This marked the league’s strongest March‑Madness‑era audience in a decade, surpassing the 2016...
TNT Open to Early Talks with NHL, Silberwasser Says
TNT Sports CEO Luis Silberwasser says the network is "extremely interested" in extending its NHL partnership and is ready to begin talks whenever commissioner Gary Bettman decides. The league’s renewal timeline may be tied to the NFL’s ongoing media‑rights negotiations,...
Main Street Set to Begin Winding Down FanDuel Sports Network RSNs
Main Street Sports Group announced it will wind down its FanDuel Sports Network regional sports networks within roughly five weeks, ending NBA regular‑season coverage and NHL first‑round playoff broadcasts. The move follows the loss of its core Major League Baseball...
News: Comcast-Scripps, NFL Network, FCC and More
Comcast Xfinity blacked out several Scripps-owned regional NHL stations, including those airing Florida Panthers games, after failing to reach a new carriage agreement. ESPN has taken operational control of NFL Network as part of a broader deal that gives the...
UConn-Duke Unforgettable on the Court, Unremarkable in the Ratings
UConn’s dramatic comeback win over Duke in the Elite Eight attracted an average 13.4 million viewers on CBS, a 15% increase over last year’s comparable game but still modest for the late‑Sunday window. The broadcast peaked at 18.9 million viewers, ranking it...
News: MLB on ESPN, NFL, TMRW Sports and More
Joe Buck will call the Mets‑Dodgers season opener on ESPN alongside former players Ron Darling and Orel Hershiser, marking his second MLB assignment in as many seasons. NFL owners have voted to exempt Friday games from the league’s short‑week limit,...
On the Air: A Jumbled MLB Debut for Netflix
Netflix’s first regular‑season MLB broadcast turned into a spectacle rather than a game recap, blending baseball commentary with celebrity cameos, WWE promos and comedy bits. Established voices like Matt Vasgersian, Hunter Pence and CC Sabathia anchored the telecast, but production...
The Needle: NBA Vs. MLB Tale of the Tape, Part III
The Needle column dissects NBA versus MLB television ratings, showing that when only exclusive national telecasts are considered, the NBA averages 2.7 million viewers and MLB 2.6 million – a razor‑thin gap. While MLB’s regional broadcasts inflate its daily audience, the NBA...
CBS Returns to an Expanding WNBA with Biggest Broadcast TV Slate Yet
Paramount’s CBS has secured a multi‑year extension to broadcast WNBA games, expanding its slate to 20 regular‑season matchups on the CBS network and Paramount+. The deal removes CBS Sports Network from the lineup, consolidating all coverage on broadcast TV and...
News: NBC Sports, NFL Network, Scripps and More
NBC Sports is testing the placement of analysts inside MLB dugouts for its Sunday Leadoff games, mirroring its NBA "On the Bench" format, while still finalizing play‑by‑play talent. The ESPN‑owned NFL Network will continue its own NFL Draft presentation, keeping...
World Baseball Classic Delivers More than 10 Million in Title Game
The 2026 World Baseball Classic final between Venezuela and the United States averaged 10.78 million viewers on FOX and Fox Deportes, setting a new record for the tournament. Peak audience reached 12.15 million during the late‑night quarter‑hour, more than double the 2023...
NBA’s Sunday Gains Help Offset “Saturday Primetime” Slide
NBA viewership on ABC’s Saturday Primetime fell 21% to 2.22 million, the lowest since the series began in 2016. In contrast, the league’s Sunday Showcase rose 20% to 2.56 million, marking the first season since 2022‑23 that Sunday outdrew Saturday. NBC’s new...
Barry Bonds Joins Netflix as MLB Analyst
Barry Bonds has signed on as Netflix’s lead MLB analyst, joining host Elle Duncan and former stars Albert Pujols and Anthony Rizzo on the streamer’s pre‑ and post‑game coverage. He will appear for high‑profile events including the Yankees‑Giants Opening Night,...
ESPN Hearkens Back to Era of Monday, Wednesday, Baseball with MLB Slate
ESPN is reviving its historic Monday and Wednesday baseball nights, scheduling 20 of its 30 MLB games on those weekdays this summer. The network’s slate clusters 23 games across 20 nights, with multiple doubleheaders in July and August, while limiting...
Leiter, Walker, Ottavino to Take Part in NBC Coverage of Pirates-Mets
NBC will broadcast its first MLB game under a new rights agreement, featuring the Pirates‑Mets Opening Day matchup. Former pitcher Al Leiter and ex‑Pirates infielder Neil Walker are slated as game analysts alongside play‑by‑play veteran Matt Vasgersian. Ahmed Fareed will...
News: NBA, MLS, DAZN and More
The NBA Board of Governors will vote next week on exploring expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle, with a projected $7‑10 billion franchise fee and a target start in the 2028‑29 season. MLS announced its 2026 championship will move to a...
NFL Reportedly Wants Paramount to Increase Rights Fee North of 50-60 Percent
The NFL is demanding a 50‑60 percent increase in its broadcast rights fees, targeting a new minimum of $3 billion per year from Paramount, the CBS parent. A 50 percent hike would push CBS's current $2.1 billion annual fee past the $3 billion...
In Shift, NFL Will Reportedly Package Rights to Week 1 Melbourne Game
The NFL is moving away from selling the Week 1 Melbourne International Series game on a stand‑alone basis, opting instead to bundle it with four or five additional contests. This packaging aligns with a broader inventory of nine International Series...
Sans-Curry, Are Warriors Suddenly a Ratings Drag?
The Golden State Warriors posted their lowest‑rated ABC broadcast since 2002, drawing a 1.1 rating and 1.90 million viewers in a Curry‑less matchup against the Thunder. Historically a marquee NBA draw, the team’s viewership fell sharply when Stephen Curry missed his...
UNC-Duke, MSU-Michigan, Deliver on Final Weekend of Men’s Regular Season
College basketball rivalry matchups delivered strong ratings in the final weekend of the regular season. The UNC‑Duke game on ESPN attracted 3.43 million viewers, a 14 % increase and the third‑largest audience for the series since 2019. Michigan’s win over Michigan State...
UFC Opens CBS Era with Stronger Audience
UFC made its CBS debut with UFC 326, drawing an average of 2.47 million viewers across a two‑hour window that included prelims and portions of the main card. The one‑hour segment featuring the main card (excluding the main event) averaged 2.81 million...
Matt Vasgersian Expected to Call Netflix MLB Opening Night Game
Matt Vasgersian is slated to call Major League Baseball's Opening Night game on Netflix, marking the streaming giant's debut in live MLB coverage. The broadcast is part of a three‑year, $35 million‑per‑year media rights agreement between MLB and Netflix, with MLB...
ESPN Latest to Pick up Ex-Washington Post Reporters
ESPN announced Monday that it has hired six former Washington Post sports reporters—Kent Babb, Kareem Copeland, Chuck Culpepper, Robert Klemko, Tom Schad and Ben Strauss—to bolster its Investigative, Enterprise and Digital Journalism Unit. The hires come shortly after The Athletic...
NHL Sees Early Bump for Post-Olympic Slate
The NHL’s post‑Olympic slate is showing an early ratings lift, with the first eight telecasts on ABC, ESPN and TNT averaging 603,000 viewers – a 23% increase over the pre‑Olympic baseline. ESPN’s coverage now averages 785,000 viewers, up 17% year‑over‑year,...
NFL Reportedly Wants New Rights Deals in Place by Start of Next Season
The NFL is accelerating its media‑rights negotiations, aiming to lock in new agreements before the 2026 season starts in September, earlier than the previously expected fall window. Talks will begin with Paramount and then Fox, with contracts likely extending through...
News: Versant, Bob Costas, David Ross and More
Versant CEO Mark Lazarus said the company will pursue new sports‑rights opportunities as NFL contracts are renegotiated, positioning USA Sports to fill gaps left by larger networks. NBC’s Bob Costas revealed that the Sunday Night Baseball pre‑game will be trimmed...
Will Media Consolidation Finally End TNT Sports?
Paramount Global's pending acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery could spell the end of TNT Sports, the long‑standing sports brand of Turner. The deal, while likely to clear U.S. antitrust review, may still face challenges and follows a pattern where regulators...
News: Discovery Global, Paramount, Atlanta Braves and More
Warner Bros. Discovery will abandon the planned Discovery Global spinoff if its pending merger with Paramount is finalized, keeping TNT Sports under the combined umbrella with CBS Sports. Paramount, after raising its offer to $31 per share, reaffirmed confidence in...
NBC’s “Sunday Night Basketball” Stronger in Olympic-Adjacent Return
NBC’s "Sunday Night Basketball" returned alongside the Winter Olympics and posted a multi‑year high audience. The Celtics‑Lakers matchup earned a 2.5 Nielsen rating, 4.52 million viewers on NBC and 5.6 million when Telemundo and streaming data are added. This marks the largest...
Bettman Seeks Better Timeslot for Next Olympic Hockey Final
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman urged a later start time for the next Olympic men’s hockey final after the 2026 gold‑medal game aired at 8 AM ET, the earliest since Sochi 2014. The match drew 18.6 million viewers, far below the 28 million who...
Rare Michigan-Duke Clash Delivers Latest Big College Hoops Audience
The Michigan‑Duke men’s basketball game delivered an average 2.0 rating and 4.32 million viewers on ESPN, peaking at 5.4 million. This made it the largest ESPN‑network audience for a men’s game since the 2019 Duke‑North Carolina showdown and the seventh‑most‑watched ever on...
Super Bowl Audience Revised Upward
Nielsen announced that the final audience metrics for Super Bowl 60 have been revised upward to a 39.7 rating and 125.6 million viewers, up from the originally reported 39.4 rating and 124.9 million viewers. The adjustment stems from a Big Data provider’s...
Daytona 500 Audience Rebounds Despite Competition
The Daytona 500 on FOX rebounded strongly, delivering a 3.8 rating and 7.49 million average viewers—the highest since 2023. Ratings rose 8% and total viewership climbed 11% versus last year, despite competing against the Winter Olympics and the NBA All-Star Game....
News: Netflix, ESPN, Jalen Rose and More
Netflix co‑CEO Ted Sarandos said the streamer remains open to acquiring additional NFL and other sports rights if the economics are favorable, as the league begins early talks on future media packages. ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro reaffirmed that the network...
Linear Leads Way as NBA Remains up at All-Star Break
NBA viewership surged entering the All-Star break, with linear TV partners driving the rebound. Average audience across NBCUniversal, ESPN/ABC and Prime Video hit 1.80 million, a 16% year‑over‑year rise and the strongest mid‑season average since 2018. NBC, returning to broadcast after...
NBA Local Package Could Come as Soon as Next Season
The NBA is accelerating plans to bundle and sell a centralized local media rights package as early as the 2026‑27 season. The imminent collapse of Main Street Sports Group, which operates the FanDuel RSNs, will free up local rights for...
NBC Olympics Viewership Again Benefitting From Combined Windows
NBC’s strategy of merging live afternoon and primetime windows has propelled viewership for the Milan‑Cortina Winter Games, averaging 26.5 million viewers across its platforms—almost twice Beijing’s 13.7 million. The approach mirrors the Paris Summer Olympics rollout, allowing NBC to count daytime “Milan...
News: NHL Media Rights, Paramount-WBD, Angels and More
The NHL has accelerated talks with ESPN and TNT Sports to renegotiate its U.S. media rights, aiming to lock in deals before the NFL’s upcoming rights cycle. Paramount refreshed its hostile tender offer for Warner Bros. Discovery, adding a $0.25‑per‑share...
Super Bowl Rating Back Under 40 as Ho-Hum Game Posts Rare Decline
Super Bowl LVIII, featuring the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, recorded a 39.4 household rating and 124.93 million viewers across NBC, Peacock and Telemundo, marking a 6 % drop in rating and 2 % decline in total audience from the previous year....
News: YouTube TV, MLB.TV, NFL and More
YouTube TV announced a dedicated sports bundle priced at $65 a month, a 22% discount from its base plan, with a promotional $55 rate for new subscribers during the first year. MLB.TV subscriptions will now be sold through the ESPN...
Why Patriots-Seahawks Could Set New Super Bowl Record, Even if Fewer Tune In
The 2026 Patriots‑Seahawks Super Bowl is projected to post a 40.3 household rating, potentially eclipsing the 2015 game’s historic 47.5 rating when adjusted for today’s measurement methods. Nielsen’s shift to include out‑of‑home and big‑data viewing has inflated recent viewership totals,...