Overview
- The 2026 NBA playoffs averaged 6.35 million viewers across national outlets, a 34% jump from last year and the highest postseason figure since 1998 driven by a rights deal that sent far more games to NBC and ABC.
- The NBA Finals reached a 20.6 million average audience, the largest Finals viewership since 1998, with three of five games topping 20 million and multiple games exceeding 15 million viewers.
- The NHL saw a dramatic rise with the full Stanley Cup Playoffs averaging 1.8 million U.S. viewers, up 68% year over year, and the Hurricanes–Golden Knights Final drawing about 5.2 million viewers.
- The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off with record English‑language U.S. audiences, the opening weekend at roughly 14.2 million and the U.S. win over Paraguay averaging more than 18 million across Fox, FS1, and Tubi.
- Nielsen’s recent moves to include out‑of‑home viewing and to blend panel data with smart‑TV and set‑top “Big Data” complicate direct historical comparisons and could account for part of the ratings gains while also increasing networks’ bargaining power with advertisers and rights buyers.