Ratings Roundup: NFL Secures Its Second-Best Regular-Season Viewership on Record With Over 18 Million Viewers
Story Highlights
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press releases and reports around the industry. In this week’s edition, ABC hockey on ESPN up 89% compared to last year’s viewership; College Bowl season is the highest viewed era since 2015/2016; and more.
The NFL notched its second-best regular-season viewership on record, with the 2025 slate averaging 18.7 million viewers (according to SBJ). That’s behind only an average of 19 million viewers in 1989 (records on season viewership date back to 1988). This season was up 10% from 2024, and up 7% from 2023 as Nielsen introduced Big Data and full out-of-home measurement that covers places like bars, restaurants and airports. According to SBJ, CBS, NBC and Prime Video had record-setting season averages, while Fox had its best season since 2015 and ESPN had its second-best season yet (behind only 2023). More details below.
NFL on ESPN Studio Shows Add to Network’s Successful 2025 Regular Season with Multi-Year Highs & Double-Digit Growth
ESPN’s NFL studio shows turned in a standout 2025 regular season, with Monday Night Countdown, Sunday NFL Countdown and NFL Live, all delivering double-digit year-over-year growth and reaching multi-year audience highs, with NFL Primetime leading the way on the ESPN app among ESPN original content.
Overall, NFL Live and Monday Night Countdown each posted their most-watched season since 2016, while Sunday NFL Countdown averaged its largest audience since 2019. Contributing to this success were strong increases across all key demographic groups for each show—most notably among the coveted P18–49 demo, as well as female and youth audiences.
ESPN’s successful 2025 NFL studio show performance coincides with Monday Night Football delivering its second-most-watched season in the past 20 years.
The slate of NFL studio shows will continue into the playoffs with Postseason NFL Countdown (utilizing the Sunday NFL Countdown commentators) and NFL Primetime throughout the weekend. Concluding the Wild Card round of the playoffs, Monday Night Countdown and NFL Live will proceed ESPN’s presentation of Texans-Steelers on Monday, Jan. 12.
Monday Night Countdown records consecutive seasons of strong female audience growth with 25% increase
Monday Night Countdown (Monday, 6–8 p.m., ESPN) averaged 1.6 million viewers, up 14% vs. 2024, marking its second straight season of strong year-over-year growth. The show posted gains across all key demos, including a 25% jump among female fans (after increasing their female audience by 16% in 2024), a 38% increase among youth viewers (P2-17) and a 4% increase in the key sales demo (Persons 18-49). In Week 16, Monday Night Countdown recorded its season-high audience of 1.8 million viewers.
Led by Scott Van Pelt alongside Ryan Clark, Jason Kelce, Marcus Spears, Michelle Besnier-Buck, Adam Schefter, the pregame show continued to build energy and anticipation ahead of kickoff.
Sunday NFL Countdown jumps 15% vs. 2024, driving double-digit growth across all demos
Sunday NFL Countdown (Sunday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., ESPN), elevated their audience to 1.34 million average viewers, up 15% vs. 2024. The premier Sunday pregame show experienced double-digit growth across all key demos, highlighted by a 12% increase amongst Persons 18–49, a 28% increase amongst the youth audience (P2-17) and a female audience jump of 29%.
Hosted by Mike Greenberg, alongside Tedy Bruschi, Randy Moss, Rex Ryan, Alex Smith, Adam Schefter, Erin Dolan and well-connected national NFL reporters, Sunday NFL Countdown seamlessly set the table for a full day of NFL action throughout the season.
NFL Live continues to thrive as youth viewership climbs 78%, female viewership jumps 48%
NFL Live (Monday, 3–5 p.m. ET; Tuesday–Friday, 4–5 p.m. ET, ESPN) averaged 449,000 viewers during the regular season—up 18% vs. 2024. On Mondays, originating from the Monday Night Football game site and expanding to two hours, the show averaged 502,000 viewers, up 15% vs. 2024. Notably, December 8, NFL Live delivered its most-watched episode in more than two years, drawing 570,000 viewers.
Impressively, NFL Live led year-over-year growth among ESPN’s NFL studio-show portfolio, posting gains across all key audiences, including a 48% increase among female viewers, a 78% increase among youth viewers (Persons 2–17), and a 14% increase in the key sales demo (Persons 18–49).
Fresh off its Sports Emmy win for Outstanding Studio Show – Daily in May 2025, NFL Live—led by Laura Rutledge alongside Ryan Clark, Andrew Hawkins, Mina Kimes, Jason McCourty Dan Orlovsky, Adam Schefter, Peter Schrager and Marcus Spears—continued to thrive as appointment weekday viewing.
NFL Primetime leads ESPN app among all ESPN original studio programming
NFL Primetime (Sunday, 7:30 p.m. and on-demand) remained the most-viewed ESPN original studio show on the ESPN app. The iconic highlights show, featuring Chris Berman and Booger McFarland, recapped Sunday’s action each week.
NFL Matchup continues bringing fans the Xs and Os
NFL Matchup (Saturday and Sunday, ESPN), which has existed for over 40 years, kicks off NFL-centric programming each weekend of the season. Sunday editions of the film-study show saw increases of 11% among female viewers and 13% among youth viewers.
More on ESPN’s postseason studio programming
Postseason NFL Countdown will debut on Saturday (10 a.m.–Noon ET, ESPN) and Sunday (10 a.m.–1 p.m. ET, ESPN), leading into Wild Card action. NFL Primetime will be live on the ESPN app immediately following the final game each night (approximately 11:20 p.m. ET) and available on demand.
Monday Night Countdown (6-8 p.m. ET, ESPN) will precede ESPN’s Wild Card showdown between the Texans and Steelers following NFL Live, which kicks off coverage from Pittsburgh (3–5 p.m. ET, ESPN). Additional details on ESPN’s Divisional Round studio programming will be announced in the coming days.
Notes: Sunday NFL Countdown excludes weeks it went up against an NFL international game. Monday Night Countdown excludes weeks in which the format was different due to multiple MNF games. NFL Live includes ESPN episodes only, and season-to-date range is Sept. 4 to end of regular season and compared to similar dates in past seasons.
ESPN’s Monday Night Football Records Second-Most-Watched Regular Season in the Company’s 20-Year History of Airing the Iconic Franchise
The 2025 Monday Night Football regular season ranked as ESPN’s second-most-watched MNF season in the company’s 20-year history of televising the iconic NFL franchise, highlighting a year which included a record for most ESPN MNF games over 20 million viewers, viewership gains across every major demographic and further expansion of innovative alternate telecasts. Following the conclusion of the MNF slate, ESPN capped the season with the NFL’s most-watched Week 18 game, as Seahawks-49ers achieved over 27.5 million viewers.
Across the 21 games, and not including the two games in Week 18, MNF averaged 15.8 million viewers per game, besting every season dating back to 2006, except 2023, and was up 9% over 2024. Adding in the two Week 18 games, ESPN’s entire 23-game schedule averaged 16.5 million viewers per game, up 10% vs. 2024’s 23-game regular season schedule.
In the midst of generating the near-record season-long audience, MNF delivered three of its top eight most-watched games ever, led by Lions-Ravens (22.8 million viewers), ESPN’s fourth most-watched MNF game. Chiefs-Jaguars (22.3 million) and Vikings-Bears (22.1 million) ranked as the sixth and eighth most-watched, respectively. Overall, MNF exceeded 20 million viewers for five games, an ESPN MNF record for a single season.
The 2025 season extended MNF’s strong momentum, with ESPN now having aired its eight most-watched MNF games over the past four seasons (2022–2025). That surge coincides with the Buck–Aikman era, as the three most recent seasons (2023–2025) now rank as ESPN’s three most-watched MNF seasons since 2006, with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman in the booth alongside Lisa Salters and, most recently, Laura Rutledge.
Amongst the demos in the 2025 season, MNF posted a 5% increase in Persons 18-49 and a 15% jump among females compared to 2024. Double-digit increases were seen in Persons 2–17 (up 20%) and Persons 18–24 (up 17%).
In total, throughout the regular season, which included four weeks of multiple MNF games in one night, over 130 million viewers watched the NFL on ESPN in 2025.
ESPN’s 2025–26 NFL postseason continues with a Monday night Wild Card matchup on January 12 (8 p.m. ET) as the AFC’s fifth-seed Houston Texans face the AFC North champion and fourth-seed Pittsburgh Steelers. Houston enters the playoffs on a nine-game winning streak, while Pittsburgh is coming off a dramatic Week 18 win. ESPN’s NFL season wraps up the following week with a Divisional Round game on January 17 or 18.
Strong Week 18 Viewership Elevates ESPN’s Season Average to 16.5 Million Per Game
In Week 18, as part of ESPN’s Doubleheader Saturday, ESPN concluded the regular season with 27.5 million viewers for Seahawks-49ers (January 3, 7:45 p.m. ET) and 21 million viewers for Panthers-Buccaneers (January 3, 4:15 p.m.). Additional details on Week 18:
- Seahawks-49ers was up 25% vs. the comparable Week 18 primetime game (Bengals-Steelers).
- Including all regular season MNF and NFL on ESPN games, the NFC West showdown ranks as ESPN’s third most-watched NFL game since 2006.
- Seahawks-49ers ranked as the most-watched Week 18 game across all networks.
- Panthers-Buccaneers was up 22% vs. the comparable Week 18 game (Browns-Ravens).
FOX NFL Rings In Best Regular Season Since 2015
2025-26 FOX NFL regular season averaged 19.633 million viewers
- Up +6% over last year’s full season average (18,441,000 viewers)
- FOX’s best regular season since 2015 (20,706,000 viewers)
AMERICA’S GAME OF THE WEEK averaged 25.283 million viewers
- Up +6% over last year’s average (23,946,000 viewers)
- AGOTW’s best performance since 2015 (26,797,000 viewers)
FOX NFL SUNDAY averaged 4.445 million viewers
- Up +1% over last year’s average (4,415,000 viewers)
- FOX NFL SUNDAY’s best since 2022 (4,542,000 viewers) and the No. 1 NFL pregame show on television for the 32nd consecutive year
FOX NFL KICKOFF averaged 1.346 million viewers
- Up +11% over last year (1,208,000 viewers)
- FOX NFL KICKOFF’s best since 2019 (1,349,000 viewers)
Record-Setting Season as “Sunday Night Football” On NBC and Peacock Averages 23.5 Million Viewers & Paces as Primetime’s #1 Show For Unprecedented 15th Consecutive Year
NBC Sports capped its milestone 20th season of Sunday Night Football this past weekend with a thrilling Week 18 Ravens-Steelers “AFC North Championship Game” as primetime’s #1 show continued its unprecedented run pacing for a 15th consecutive year atop the charts.
Sunday night’s game – which came down to the final play – put an exclamation point on a record-setting season for NBC’s SNF, highlighted by:
- A record average of 23.5 million viewers for SNF across NBC and Peacock
- A record 8 SNF games averaging more than 25 million viewers
- Led by Peacock, a record streaming Average Minute Audience (AMA) of 2.5 million viewers.
Based on official Nielsen Big Data + Panel, NBC’s SNF easily topped all primetime television series in the fall and once again is pacing to finish as primetime’s #1 TV show in all key metrics for an unprecedented 15th consecutive year. NBC’s SNF, in the most competitive time slot in media, extended its record for the most consecutive years atop the primetime charts (since 1950):
Most Consecutive Years, #1 Ranked Show in Primetime, Since 1950
15 years in a row – Sunday Night Football (2011-12 through 2025-26; on pace)
6 years in a row – American Idol (2005-06 through 2010-11)
5 years in a row – The Cosby Show (1985-86 through 1989-90)…tied Cheers in ‘89-90
5 years in a row – All in the Family (1971-72 through 1975-76)
4 years in a row – Gunsmoke (1957-58 through 1960-61)
Sunday Night Football averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 23.5 million viewers for the 2025 season, the show’s best viewership ever – up nearly 1 million viewers from the prior record for the series set a decade ago (22.6 million in 2015 season) and an increase of 9% over last season (21.6 million), based on official Nielsen Big Data + Panel and digital data from Adobe Analytics.
“Our milestone 20th season of Sunday Night Football once again delivered a best-in-class presentation with record-setting viewership, thanks to our outstanding technical, engineering, and production teams and our exceptional on-air team of Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Melissa Stark, and Terry McAulay,” says Rick Cordella, President, NBC Sports. “We look forward to continuing our tremendous momentum as SNF on our NBC stations is pacing to rank #1 in primetime for an unprecedented 15th consecutive year, and Peacock drives our record-setting streaming, delivering for all partners. We can’t wait for the Playoffs and Super Bowl LX in the coming weeks to cap what may be the most exhilarating season in NFL history.”
The 20th season of NBC’s Sunday Night Football culminates with the biggest day in U.S. media – with the presentation of Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. bookended by the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, live and in primetime. NBC broadcasts its 21st Super Bowl, with live streaming coverage on Peacock and the Spanish-language telecast on Telemundo.
SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL DELIVERS RECORD 8 GAMES WITH 25+ MILLION VIEWERS
Sunday night’s Ravens-Steelers thriller averaged 25.5 million viewers, peaking at 27.5 million in the second quarter (9:15-9:30 p.m. ET), before climbing back up to an average of 26.1 million viewers for the game’s closing minutes (11:30-11:35 p.m. ET).
Baltimore-Pittsburgh marked the record eighth game in this season’s NBC SNF package to average at least 25 million viewers – up 33% from the prior record set in 2023 and 2013 (six).
Most Watched Games, 2025 Season, NBC Sunday Night Football package
| Game, Date | Avg. Viewers* |
| Dallas Cowboys-Philadelphia Eagles, 9/4/25** | 28.3 million |
| Cincinnati Bengals-Baltimore Ravens, 11/27/25 | 27.9 million |
| Detroit Lions-Kansas City Chiefs, 10/12/25 | 27.4 million |
| Chicago Bears-San Francisco 49ers, 12/28/25 | 27.1 million |
| Green Bay Packers-Dallas Cowboys, 9/28/25 | 26.9 million |
| Green Bay Packers-Pittsburgh Steelers, 10/26/25 | 25.5 million |
| Baltimore Ravens-Pittsburgh Steelers, 1/4/26 | 25.5 million |
| Kansas City Chiefs-New York Giants, 9/21/25 | 25.3 million |
*Viewership across NBC, Peacock, NBC Sports Digital, NFL Digital
** Impacted by 65-minute weather delay
LED BY PEACOCK, RECORD-SETTING SNF STREAMING HITS 2.5 MILLION AVERAGE MINUTE AUDIENCE (AMA)
Led by Peacock, NBC Sports Digital hit another viewership milestone for Sunday Night Football in 2025, delivering a full-season Average Minute Audience of 2.5 million viewers for the first time across Peacock, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app, and NFL Digital properties – up 17% from the prior record (2.2 million) set last season.
ACROSS NBC BROADCAST AFFILIATES NATIONALLY, SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL TOPS ALL KEY METRICS
On NBC broadcast stations, Sunday Night Football topped all primetime shows in average viewership and household rating, and for the 17th consecutive season ranked #1 among adults 18-49.
Key SNF Full Season Metrics (official Nielsen Big Data + Panel on NBC Broadcast only)
| Category | 2025 | Primetime Rank |
| Average Viewers | 21.0 million | #1 |
| HH Rating | 10.3 | #1 |
| Adult 18-49 Viewers | 6.85 million | #1 |
Source: Official Nielsen Big Data + Panel, 9/4/25-1/4/26
NBC DELIVERS MORE ADULT 18-49 VIEWERS THAN ANY NFL MEDIA PARTNER
Based upon official Nielsen Big Data + Panel, Sunday Night Football delivered an average of 6.85 million viewers in the Adult 18-49 demographic over the course of the season – more than any NFL media partner.
FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA IS MOST-WATCHED STUDIO SHOW FOR 20TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR, WITH ITS BEST SEASON EVER
NBC’s Football Night in America studio show averaged 8.8 million viewers from 7:30-8:15 p.m. ET this season – the largest FNIA season audience ever and up 14% from last season (7.7 million). FNIA continues its reign as sports’ most-watched weekly studio show for the 20th consecutive year (since the show’s 2006 debut season).
In addition, the 8-8:23 p.m. ET portion of Football Night in America (including pre-kick coverage), averaged 14.0 million viewers, which would rank No. 3 among regularly-scheduled primetime shows.
SNF AVERAGE (P2+) VIEWERSHIP RANK AMONG PRIMETIME SHOWS:
| Fall TV Season | Full TV Season | |
| 2025 | No. 1 Show | 1st (through 1/4/26) |
| 2024 | No. 1 Show | 1st |
| 2023 | No. 1 Show | 1st |
| 2022 | No. 1 Show | 1st |
| 2021 | No. 1 Show | 1st |
| 2020 | No. 1 Show | 1st |
| 2019 | No. 1 Show | 1st |
| 2018 | No. 1 Show | 1st |
| 2017 | No. 1 Show | 1st |
| 2016 | No. 1 Show | 1st |
| 2015 | No. 1 Show | 1st |
| 2014 | No. 1 Show | 1st |
| 2013 | No. 1 Show | 1st |
| 2012 | No. 1 Show | 1st |
| 2011 | No. 1 Show | 1st |
| 2010 | No. 1 Show | 3rd |
| 2009 | No. 2 Show | 4th |
| 2008 | No. 5 Show | 8th |
| 2007 | No. 7 Show | 8th |
| 2006 | No. 7 Show | 9th |
Source: Official Nielsen Big Data + Panel
SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL TOP 20 METERED MARKETS – 2025 SEASON*:
Buffalo ranked as the top-rated SNF market for the second time in three years (#1 in 2023, and #2 last year), while Kansas City finished second this year after ranking first in 2024. New Orleans topped the chart for five consecutive years (2018-2022) as well as in 2010, 2011 and 2013. Milwaukee was the top-rated SNF market in 2017 and 2012, while Denver ranked #1 for three consecutive seasons from 2014-16.
| 1. Buffalo | 18.0/41 |
| 2. Kansas City | 17.5/45 |
| 3. Pittsburgh | 15.0/38 |
| 4. Milwaukee | 14.7/37 |
| 5. Minneapolis | 14.3/38 |
| 6. Baltimore | 13.9/41 |
| 7. New Orleans | 13.5/36 |
| 8. Richmond | 13.2/36 |
| 9. Detroit | 12.9/35 |
| 10. Philadelphia | 12.7/38 |
| 11. Dayton | 12.6/35 |
| 12. Denver | 12.4/42 |
| 13. Dallas | 12.2.39 |
| 14. Norfolk | 12.0/38 |
| 15. Cincinnati | 11.8/34 |
| 16. Albuquerque | 11.7/34 |
| 17. Sacramento | 11.6/38 |
| T18. Providence | 10.9/34 |
| T18. Las Vegas | 10.9/37 |
| T18. St. Louis | 10.9/29 |
Nielsen’s Top 25 Live Sports Events Telecasts (Dec 29 – Jan 4)
NFL games secured 8 of the top 12 slots across 4 different networks/distributors – FOX, CBS, NBC, and ABC/ESPN.
ABC/ESPN’s coverage of the 49ers vs Seahawks on Saturday, January 3 was the most-watched game of the week with over 26 million viewers.
College Football secured 15 of the Top 25 slots this week
The CFP Quarterfinals delivered 4 of the Top 10 spots:
#2 – Alabama vs Indiana (ESPN/ESPN2) – 23,709,000 viewers
#7 – Miami vs. Ohio State (ESPN/ESPN2) – 18,852,000 viewers
#8 – Ole Miss vs Georgia (ESPN/ESPN2) – 18,473,000 viewers
#10 – Oregon vs. Texas Tech (ESPN/ESPN2) – 14,818,000 viewers
The NBA on NBC secured two spots in the Top 25:
#22 – 76ers vs. Grizzlies
#25 – Pistons vs Lakers
*Sports once again dominated the television landscape during the week of December 29, with sports events and sports commentary programs securing 19 of the top 20 telecasts across broadcast, cable and live streaming.
ABC Hockey Saturday Delivers ESPN’s Second Most-Viewed Regular Season Game of the New Rights Deal
The 2025-26 NHL season on ESPN continued Saturday with the first ABC Hockey Saturday matchup of the season. Penguins-Red wings delivered ESPN’s second most-viewed regular season game of the new rights deal. The game averaged 1.6M viewers (peak 1.8M), +89% vs. last year’s NHL on ABC average and +51% vs. last year’s first ABC Hockey Saturday game.
Through 13 games, the NHL on ESPN is averaging 618K viewers, +33% vs. YoY.
ESPN’s Second Most-Watched NBA Regular Season Ever
ESPN has delivered its second most-watched NBA regular season ever through Christmas, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel. Through 21 games, the NBA on ESPN networks is averaging 2.6M viewers, up 35 percent from last season. Viewership for the 2025-26 regular season trails only the 2010-11 campaign. It excludes the 2011-12 and 2020-21 seasons, which were both shortened and had non-traditional schedules.
ESPN’s coverage of the NBA has also delivered significant year over year growth in key demographics this season. Through 21 games, viewership among P2-17 is up 45 percent, while viewership among women is up 47 percent. Additionally, Hispanic viewership is up 37 percent.
Overall, ESPN networks have carried seven of the top 10 most-watched NBA games this season according to Nielsen, including all five Christmas games – three of which averaged more than 6M viewers for the first time ever. For more information on ESPN’s most-watched NBA Christmas in seven years, visit ESPNPressRoom.com.
Studio coverage
ESPN has also generated substantial viewership for its NBA studio programming this season. Through Christmas, Inside the NBA is averaging 1.2M viewers across ESPN and ABC. NBA Countdown is averaging 582K viewers so far this season, up 20 percent from last year’s regular season average. In addition, NBA Today – ESPN’s weekday studio offering – is averaging 361K viewers this season, an increase of 26 percent from this time last year.
ESPN Networks Deliver Record-Breaking Viewership for 2025-26 FCS Playoffs and Championship
ESPN’s coverage of the 2025-26 NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Playoffs and Championship delivered historic audiences across its networks, highlighted by the third most-watched FCS Championship game on record and multiple viewership milestones throughout the postseason.
The 2026 FCS Championship Game averaged 2.3 million viewers on ESPN, ranking as the third-best FCS Championship audience ever, trailing only 2025 (2.4M, ESPN) and 2020 (2.7M, ABC). The game peaked at 3 million viewers in overtime, as Montana State captured their first national title in 41 years.
The full FCS Playoffs averaged 1.4 million viewers on nationally rated ESPN networks, posting their best audience since 2009-10 and a growth of 8 percent year-over-year.
New this year, ESPN featured an on-site studio show at the FCS Championship Game to enhance the lead-in to the title bout.
Semifinals Shine on ABC and ESPN2
The two semifinal matchups averaged 1.6 million viewers, marking the most-watched FCS Semifinals since 2009 and a 6 percent increase year-over-year. ABC’s coverage of the Brawl of the Wild rematch between Montana and Montana State delivered a staggering 2.8 million viewers, becoming the most-watched FCS Playoff game on record.
Quarterfinals Deliver Historic Growth
The three quarterfinal games across ABC and ESPN averaged 1.4 million viewers, up 34 percent year-over-year and the highest audience for this round since 2011. ABC’s South Dakota-Montana matchup drew 1.9 million viewers, the most-watched FCS Quarterfinal since 2016.
ESPN+ Exclusives See Expanded Audiences
Viewership of ESPN+ exclusive games grew 26 percent year-over-year. The second round showdown between South Dakota State and Montana was the most-watched ESPN+ exclusive this FCS postseason.
2025-26 FCS Playoffs on ESPN Networks
Bowl Season on ESPN Networks Delivers Strongest Audience Since 2015-16
ESPN’s coverage of the 2025-26 Bowl Season delivered substantial year‑over‑year gains across non‑College Football Playoff (CFP) games, highlighted by record highs, multi‑year bests and two of the most‑watched non‑CFP/New Year’s Six bowls in recent years.
Across 33 non‑CFP bowls on ESPN networks, average viewership was 3.1 million, up 13 percent year‑over‑year, marking the highest non‑CFP bowl average since the 2015-16 season. Four bowls set all‑time audience records, while 10 reached at least a five‑year high and eight hit a 10‑year high.
The Cheez‑It Citrus Bowl (9.1M) and Pop‑Tarts Bowl (8.7M) were the two most‑watched non‑CFP/New Year’s Six bowls since the 2019-20 season. The Citrus Bowl delivered its best audience since the 2019 season, while the Pop‑Tarts Bowl posted its best viewership since 1991.
Network Highlights
- ABC delivered its largest non‑CFP bowl audience in 12 years, averaging 6.2 million viewers across six games. All six bowls registered multi‑year viewership highs and three recorded their highest audiences in at least 10 years (Pop‑Tarts Bowl, TaxSlayer Gator Bowl and Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl)
- On ESPN, 26 games averaged 2.4 million viewers. These games represent nine of the top 100 most‑watched live events on ESPN since last bowl season (Jan. 4, 2025-Jan. 2, 2026)
Bonus Bowl Season Superlatives
- All‑time records: Four bowls established new audience records: Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl (ABC), Bucked Up LA Bowl (ABC), SERVPRO First Responder Bowl (ESPN) and Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl (ESPN)
- Multi‑year bests across the slate: 11 bowls registered at least five‑year highs and eight reached 10‑year highs (including Pop‑Tarts, Gator, Celebration, Military, Fenway, Las Vegas, Texas, Duke’s Mayo and Independence)
Bowl-By-Bowl Bests
- Cheez‑It Citrus Bowl: Best since 2019-20
- Pop‑Tarts Bowl: Best since 1991
- Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl: Best on record (began 2010 season)
- TaxSlayer Gator Bowl: Best since 2009
- Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl: Best since 2021
- Rate Bowl: Best since 2011
- Bucked Up LA Bowl: Best on record
- Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl: Best since 2013
- Go Bowling Military Bowl: Best since 2018
- Cricket Celebration Bowl: Best since 2022
- New Orleans Bowl: Best since 2014
- Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl: Best since 2022
- Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl: UNLV vs. Ohio (began 2014 season)
- Bush’s Boca Raton Bowl: Best since 2021
- Isleta New Mexico Bowl: Best since 2022
Sportico Top 100: NFL Again Towers Over U.S. Media in 2025
In 2025, the NFL was once again seen as a powerhouse for consumers. It was a record year for their viewership and continued to show that the NFL is one of the highest rated and consumed form of media in 2025. For more, HERE.
In 2025, Fans Power ESPN and ‘ESPN on ABC’ to its Most-Watched Year in Over a Decade
ESPN closed out 2025 with numerous viewership milestones, including its most-watched year in over a decade across ESPN and ‘ESPN on ABC’ with 621 billion minutes, ESPN’s highest average minute audience since 2017 with 790,000, and an industry-leading sports share of 35 percent across ESPN networks. These successes were fueled by ESPN’s unmatched slate of signature events, championship moments, and compelling studio content.
ESPN and ‘ESPN on ABC’ saw most-watched year in over a decade
- In 2025, fans combined for 621 billion minutes watched across ESPN and ‘ESPN on ABC,’ marking the best performance since 2014 and up 15 percent year-over-year.
ESPN’s average minute audience climbed to highest level since 2017
- ESPN on its own delivered its best average minute audience since 2017, with the primary network averaging 790,000 viewers every minute over the 365 days of 2025, up 18 percent year-over-year.
ESPN networks led sports share across all Nielsen-measured networks
- Adding in all of ESPN’s Nielsen-rated platforms, ESPN networks led the way with 35 percent of all sports viewing, up from 31 percent in 2024, drawing more than the next two network groups combined.
- On television, ESPN remained the top individual network with a 20 percent share of sports viewing, up from 17.5 percent in 2024.
