Overview
- Final Nielsen Live+Same Day big data plus panel figures put the 98th Academy Awards at 17.86 million viewers, the smallest audience since 2022, with a 3.92 rating among adults 18–49 down 14% from last year.
- ABC reports social impressions jumped about 42% to roughly 184 million, and Academy accounts logged more than 129 million video views throughout the night.
- The telecast faced unusual live-event competition from a World Baseball Classic semifinal (U.S.–Dominican Republic) that drew about 7.37 million viewers on FS1 and Fox Deportes.
- Major wins included One Battle After Another with six Oscars, including best picture and best director for Paul Thomas Anderson, and Sinners with four, including best actor for Michael B. Jordan.
- Disney says ABC and Hulu will remain the ceremony’s U.S. home through 2028 before the broadcast shifts to YouTube starting with the 101st Oscars in 2029.