The 100 Most-Watched Telecasts of 2024: NFL, Paris Olympics, Presidential Debate, Lots of ‘Tracker’ and the ‘Young Sheldon’ Finale
There’s a reason why even streamers like Netflix now want a piece of the live sports action. It’s what rules our viewing habits, as witnessed by Variety‘s annual list of the year’s 100 most-watched primetime telecasts. A full 75 out of those 100 slots went to sports (up from 56 last year), thanks to 45 NFL games (the same as last year), 19 Paris Summer Olympics installments and both the NBA Finals (four out of five games) and a big World Series.
The World Series didn’t make the list last year, but in 2024 it was back with all five games — thanks to the major market Los Angeles Dodgers/New York Yankees matchup. Meanwhile, here’s a first: The NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship didn’t make the top 100 telecasts lists, but the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship did. (Both of those games were simulcast, but this chart looks only at individual networks, so those numbers would ultimately be higher — 18.87 million for the women’s final and 14.82 for the men’s final.)
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The election year made two appearances in the chart, starting with the Sept. 10 Presidential Debate held by ABC. That 20.3 million number was for the Alphabet net alone; the debate was simulcast by multiple networks and actually drew an estimated audience of 67.1 million viewers — which would make it the No. 2 telecast of the year, behind only the Super Bowl.
With sports taking up the lion’s share of the list, there wasn’t much room for regular primetime fare this year. And for what was left, it all went to CBS. Specifically, the Eye network’s breakout hit “Tracker,” which took 15 slots — more than anything except the NFL and the Olympics. The other spots went to four editions of “60 Minutes” and the two back-to-back final episodes of “Young Sheldon.”
Continuing their climb were the two most-watched awards shows: The Oscars was once again the year’s most-watched entertainment telecast. Back on March 10, 20.2 million people saw “Oppenheimer” take the best picture prize — up from 19.4 million in 2023 and 17.6 million in 2022. CBS’ Grammys kudocast jumped to 18.1 million viewers this year, compared to 13.4 million in 2023 and 10.2 million in 2022. (The Grammys even beat the Oscars in adults 18-49).
Among all outlets, NBC led with the most slots with 38 (up from 24 last year), thanks to its primetime Sunday Night Football and all those evenings of Summer Olympics coverage. Next was CBS with 25, then ABC (12), Prime Video (10), Fox (9), ESPN (5) and one for Fox News.
Below, our ratings roundup of the year’s most-watched telecasts (in Live+7 ratings), according to broadcast and cable measurements, in both total viewers and adults 18-49.
For historical record, here are previous year-end telecast rankers: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015.
MOST-WATCHED PRIMETIME TELECASTS OF 2024 (TOTAL VIEWERS)
Rank | PROGRAM (NETWORK) | VIEWERS | DATE AIRED |
1. | Super Bowl LVIII: Kansas City vs. San Francisco (CBS) | 121,009,000 | 2/11/2024 |
2. | NFC Championship: San Francisco vs. Detroit (Fox) | 56,632,000 | 1/28/2024 |
3. | AFC Divisional Playoff: Kansas City vs. Buffalo (CBS) | 50,715,000 | 1/21/2024 |
4. | NFC Playoff: San Francisco vs. Green Bay (Fox) | 37,895,000 | 1/20/2024 |
5. | NFL Playoff: Detroit vs. Los Angeles Rams (NBC) | 32,371,000 | 1/14/2024 |
6. | NFL Thursday Night Special: Kansas City vs. Baltimore (NBC) | 24,888,000 | 9/5/2024 |
7. | NFL Thursday Night Special: Green Bay vs. Miami (NBC) | 24,315,000 | 11/28/2024 |
8. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Kansas City vs. Atlanta (NBC) | 22,710,000 | 9/22/2024 |
9. | NFL Sunday Night Football: San Francisco vs. Dallas(NBC) | 21,836,000 | 10/27/2024 |
10. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Buffalo vs. Miami (NBC) | 21,367,000 | 1/7/2024 |
11. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Buffalo vs. San Francisco (NBC) | 20,536,000 | 12/1/2024 |
12. | Presidential Debate (ABC) | 20,257,000 | 9/10/2024 |
13. | The 96th Oscars (ABC) | 20,215,000 | 3/10/2024 |
14. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Detroit vs. Los Angeles Rams (NBC) | 20,129,000 | 9/8/2024 |
15. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Baltimore vs. Buffalo (NBC) | 20,101,000 | 9/29/2024 |
16. | Summer Olympics Sunday Prime Week 1 (NBC) | 18,978,000 | 7/28/2024 |
17. | NFL Wild Card Game: Philadelphia vs. Tampa Bay (ABC) | 18,922,000 | 1/15/2024 |
18. | World Series Game 5: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. NY Yankees (Fox) | 18,276,000 | 10/30/2024 |
19. | 66th Grammy Awards (CBS) | 18,118,000 | 2/4/2024 |
20. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Houston vs. Chicago (NBC) | 18,110,000 | 9/15/2024 |
21. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Dallas vs. Pittsburgh (NBC) | 18,023,000 | 10/6/2024 |
22. | Summer Olympics Tuesday Prime Week 1 (NBC) | 17,914,000 | 7/30/2024 |
23. | College Football Playoff Semifinal: Washington vs. Texas (ESPN) | 17,896,000 | 1/1/2024 |
24. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Pittsburgh vs. NY Jets (NBC) | 17,799,000 | 10/20/2024 |
25. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Houston vs. Detroit (NBC) | 17,564,000 | 11/10/2024 |
26. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Philadelphia vs. LA Rams (NBC) | 17,495,000 | 11/24/2024 |
27. | NFL Thursday Night Football: Dallas vs. NY Giants (Prime Video) | 16,373,000 | 9/26/2024 |
28. | World Series Game 4: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. NY Yankees (Fox) | 16,335,000 | 10/29/2024 |
29. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Minnesota vs. Indianapolis (NBC) | 16,225,000 | 11/3/2024 |
30. | Summer Olympics Thursday Prime Week 1 (NBC) | 15,984,000 | 8/1/2024 |
31. | Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony (NBC) | 15,903,000 | 7/26/2024 |
32. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Cincinnati vs. NY Giants (NBC) | 15,500,000 | 10/13/2024 |
33. | Summer Olympics Sunday Prime Week 1 (NBC) | 15,435,000 | 7/29/2024 |
34. | NFL Sunday Night Football: LA Chargers vs. Cincinnati (NBC) | 15,428,000 | 11/17/2024 |
35. | Summer Olympics Monday Prime Week 2 (NBC) | 15,362,000 | 8/5/2024 |
36. | NFL Monday Night Football on ABC: Tennessee vs. Miami (ABC) | 15,228,000 | 9/30/2024 |
37. | NFL Thursday Night Football: Buffalo vs. Miami (Prime Video) | 15,075,000 | 9/12/2024 |
38. | NFL on Fox Bonus (Fox) | 14,787,000 | 11/3/2024 |
39. | NFL Sunday Night Football Weather Delay (NBC) | 14,685,000 | 10/6/2024 |
40. | NFL Monday Night Football: Kansas City vs. New Orleans (ESPN) | 14,635,000 | 10/7/2024 |
41. | NFL Thursday Night Football: Philadelphia vs. Washington (Prime Video) | 14,591,000 | 11/14/2024 |
42. | Summer Olympics Sunday Prime Week 2 (NBC) | 14,357,000 | 8/4/2024 |
43. | Summer Olympics Saturday Prime Week 2 (NBC) | 14,310,000 | 8/3/2024 |
44. | World Series Game 1: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. NY Yankees (Fox) | 14,245,000 | 10/25/2024 |
45. | Women’s NCAA Basketball Championship: South Carolina vs. Iowa (ESPN) | 14,197,000 | 4/5/2024 |
46. | NFL Thursday Night Football: Cleveland vs. Pittsburgh (Prime Video) | 14,020,000 | 11/21/2024 |
47. | NFL Thursday Night Football: Baltimore vs. Cincinnati (Prime Video) | 13,797,000 | 11/7/2024 |
48. | NFL Monday Night Football: Atlanta vs. Philadelphia (ESPN) | 13,795,000 | 9/16/2024 |
49. | Summer Olympics Saturday Prime Week 1 (NBC) | 13,773,000 | 7/27/2024 |
50. | World Series Game 2: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. NY Yankees (Fox) | 13,772,000 | 10/26/2024 |
51. | Summer Olympics Wednesday Prime Week 1 (NBC) | 13,676,000 | 7/31/2024 |
52. | NFL Thursday Night Football: NY Jets vs. New England (Prime Video) | 13,501,000 | 9/19/2024 |
53. | Summer Olympics Friday Prime Week 1 (NBC) | 13,411,000 | 8/2/2024 |
54. | Summer Olympics Wednesday Prime Week 2 (NBC) | 13,395,000 | 8/7/2024 |
55. | Summer Olympics Thursday Prime Week 2 (NBC) | 13,336,000 | 8/8/2024 |
56. | NFL Thursday Night Football: San Francisco vs. Seattle (Prime Video) | 13,318,000 | 10/10/2024 |
57. | NFL Monday Night Football on ABC: Buffalo vs. Jacksonville (ABC) | 13,302,000 | 9/23/2024 |
58. | World Series Game 3: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. NY Yankees (Fox) | 13,257,000 | 10/28/2024 |
59. | Summer Olympics Tuesday Prime Week 2 (NBC) | 13,118,000 | 8/6/2024 |
60. | NFL Thursday Night Football: Los Angeles Rams vs. Minnesota (Prime Video) | 12,712,000 | 10/24/2024 |
61. | NFL Post Game (CBS) | 12,646,000 | 10/6/2024 |
62. | NFL Thursday Night Football: Atlanta vs. Tampa Bay (Prime Video) | 12,471,000 | 10/3/2024 |
63. | NBA Finals Game 2: Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks (ABC) | 12,380,000 | 6/9/2024 |
64. | NBA Finals Game 5: Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks (ABC) | 12,318,000 | 6/17/2024 |
65. | Summer Olympics Friday Prime Week 2 (NBC) | 12,294,000 | 8/9/2024 |
66. | NFL Monday Night Football: Miami vs. LA Rams (ESPN) | 12,251,000 | 11/11/2024 |
67. | NFL Saturday Night Special on ABC: Houston vs. Indianapolis (ABC) | 12,117,000 | 1/6/2024 |
68. | The OT (Fox) | 11,966,000 | 10/20/2024 |
69. | Tracker: S2E5 “Preternatural” (CBS) | 11,861,000 | 11/10/2024 |
70. | 60 Minutes: S57E7 “Deportation; Sanctions; Surfmen” (CBS) | 11,819,000 | 10/27/2024 |
71. | Young Sheldon: S7E14 “Memoir” (CBS) | 11,737,000 | 5/16/2024 |
72. | Summer Olympics Thursday Prime Week 2 Sus1 (NBC) | 11,725,000 | 8/8/2024 |
73. | Tracker: S2E6 “Trust Fall” (CBS) | 11,701,000 | 11/17/2024 |
74. | NFL Thursday Night Football: NY Jets vs. Houston (Prime Video) | 11,666,000 | 10/31/2024 |
75. | Tracker: S2E3 “Bloodlines” (CBS) | 11,594,000 | 10/27/2024 |
76. | Tracker: S2E7 “Man’s Best Friend” (CBS) | 11,580,000 | 11/24/2024 |
77. | Tracker: S2E1 “Out of the Past” (CBS) | 11,507,000 | 10/13/2024 |
78. | Summer Olympics Saturday Prime Week 2 – Sus1 (NBC) | 11,475,000 | 8/3/2024 |
79. | Football Night in America (NBC) | 11,364,000 | 10/6/2024 |
80. | Young Sheldon: S7E13 “Funeral” (CBS) | 11,343,000 | 5/16/2024 |
81. | Tracker: S2E4 “Noble Rot” (CBS) | 11,330,000 | 11/3/2024 |
82. | Tracker: S1E9 “Aurora” (CBS) | 11,322,000 | 4/21/2024 |
83. | Tracker: S1E10 “Into the Wild” (CBS) | 11,274,000 | 4/28/2024 |
84. | Tracker: S1E5 “St. Louis” (CBS) | 11,271,000 | 3/17/2024 |
85. | Tracker: S1E13 “The Storm” (CBS) | 11,251,000 | 5/19/2024 |
86. | Summer Olympics Friday Prime Week 2 – Sus1 (NBC) | 11,229,000 | 8/9/2024 |
87. | Monday Night Football on ABC: San Francisco vs. NY Jets (ABC) | 11,150,000 | 9/9/2024 |
88. | Tracker: S1E11 “Beyond the Campus Walls” (CBS) | 11,148,000 | 5/5/2024 |
89. | Tracker: S1E8 “Camden” (CBS) | 11,129,000 | 4/14/2024 |
90. | Tracker: S1E12 “Off the Books” (CBS) | 11,109,000 | 5/12/2024 |
91. | 60 Minutes: S57E1 “The Prosecution of January 6th; Danger in the South China Sea; Dua Lipa” (CBS) | 11,093,000 | 9/15/2024 |
92. | NBA Finals Game 1: Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks (ABC) | 11,088,000 | 6/6/2024 |
93. | NBA Finals Game 3: Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks (ABC) | 11,060,000 | 6/12/2024 |
94. | Tracker: S1E4 “Mt. Shasta” (CBS) | 11,036,000 | 3/3/2024 |
95. | 60 Minutes: S56E26 “Targeting Americans; Indian Relay” (CBS) | 11,010,000 | 3/31/2024 |
96. | NFL Monday Night Football on ABC: Kansas City vs. Tampa Bay (ABC) | 10,955,000 | 11/4/2024 |
97. | Summer Olympics Saturday Prime 1 – Sus1 (NBC) | 10,858,000 | 7/27/2024 |
98. | Fox News Democracy 2024 (Fox News) | 10,818,000 | 11/5/2024 |
99. | 60 Minutes: S57E10 “The Promise; Aussiewood; Bhutan” (CBS) | 10,816,000 | 11/17/2023 |
100. | Tracker: S2E8 “The Night Movers” (CBS) | 10,811,000 | 12/1/2024 |
THE 50 TOP-RATED PRIMETIME TELECASTS OF 2024 (ADULTS 18-49)
Rank | PROGRAM (NETWORK) | VIEWERS (18-49) | DATE AIRED |
1. | Super Bowl LVIII: Kansas City vs. San Francisco (CBS) | 47,651,000 | 2/11/2024 |
2. | NFC Championship: San Francisco vs. Detroit (Fox) | 20,076,000 | 1/28/2024 |
3. | AFC Divisional Playoff: Kansas City vs. Buffalo (CBS) | 17,508,000 | 1/21/2024 |
4. | NFC Playoff: San Francisco vs. Green Bay (Fox) | 13,053,000 | 1/20/2024 |
5. | NFL Playoff: Detroit vs. Los Angeles Rams (NBC) | 10,777,000 | 1/14/2024 |
6. | NFL Thursday Night Special: Green Bay vs. Miami (NBC) | 9,050,000 | 11/28/2024 |
7. | NFL Thursday Night Special: Kansas City vs. Baltimore (NBC) | 8,937,000 | 9/5/2024 |
8. | NFL Thursday Night Football: Dallas vs. NY Giants (Prime Video) | 7,761,000 | 9/26/2024 |
9. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Kansas City vs. Atlanta (NBC) | 7,651,000 | 9/22/2023 |
10. | NFL Sunday Night Football: San Francisco vs. Dallas (NBC) | 7,486,000 | 10/27/2024 |
11. | NFL Thursday Night Football: Buffalo vs. Miami (Prime Video) | 7,481,000 | 9/12/2024 |
12. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Detroit vs. Los Angeles Rams (NBC) | 7,281,000 | 9/8/2024 |
13. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Baltimore vs. Buffalo (NBC) | 7,210,000 | 9/29/2024 |
14. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Buffalo vs. San Francisco (NBC) | 6,909,000 | 12/1/2024 |
15. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Buffalo vs. Miami (NBC) | 6,759,000 | 1/7/2024 |
16. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Houston vs. Chicago (NBC) | 6,693,000 | 9/15/2024 |
17. | NFL Thursday Night Football: Philadelphia vs. Washington (Prime Video) | 6,437,000 | 11/14/2024 |
18. | NFL Thursday Night Football: NY Jets vs. New England (Prime Video) | 6,419,000 | 9/19/2024 |
19. | College Football Playoff Semifinal: Washington vs. Texas (ESPN) | 6,384,000 | 1/1/2024 |
20. | NFL Thursday Night Football: Baltimore vs. Cincinnati (Prime Video) | 6,371,000 | 11/7/2024 |
21. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Dallas vs. Pittsburgh (NBC) | 6,330,000 | 10/6/2024 |
22. | NFL Thursday Night Football: San Francisco vs. Seattle (Prime Video) | 6,291,000 | 10/10/2024 |
23. | Presidential Debate (ABC) | 6,144,000 | 9/10/2024 |
24. | NFL Thursday Night Football: Atlanta vs. Tampa Bay (Prime Video) | 6,142,000 | 10/3/2024 |
25. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Houston vs. Detroit (NBC) | 6,074,000 | 11/10/2024 |
26. | NFL Thursday Night Football: Cleveland vs. Pittsburgh (Prime Video) | 6,059,000 | 11/21/2024 |
27. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Philadelphia vs. LA Rams (NBC) | 6,030,000 | 11/24/2024 |
28. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Pittsburgh vs. NY Jets (NBC) | 5,916,000 | 10/20/2024 |
29. | NFL Thursday Night Football: Los Angeles Rams vs. Minnesota (Prime Video) | 5,767,000 | 10/24/2024 |
30. | World Series Game 5: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. NY Yankees (Fox) | 5,723,000 | 10/30/2024 |
31. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Minnesota vs. Indianapolis (NBC) | 5,688,000 | 11/3/2024 |
32. | NFL Sunday Night Football: LA Chargers vs. Cincinnati (NBC) | 5,637,000 | 11/17/2024 |
33. | 66th Grammy Awards (CBS) | 5,555,000 | 2/4/2024 |
34. | NFL Sunday Night Football: Cincinnati vs. NY Giants (NBC) | 5,501,000 | 10/13/2024 |
35. | NFL Monday Night Football: Atlanta vs. Philadelphia (ESPN) | 5,417,000 | 9/16/2024 |
36. | NFL Monday Night Football on ABC: Tennessee vs. Miami (ABC) | 5,341,000 | 9/30/2024 |
37. | NFL Monday Night Football: Kansas City vs. New Orleans (ESPN) | 5,332,000 | 10/7/2024 |
38. | The 96th Oscars (ABC) | 5,248,000 | 3/10/2024 |
39. | NFL Wild Card Game on ABC: Philadelphia vs. Tampa Bay (ABC) | 5,232,000 | 1/15/2024 |
40. | NFL Thursday Night Football: NY Jets vs. Houston (Prime Video) | 5,167,000 | 10/31/2024 |
41. | NFL Sunday Night Football Weather Delay (NBC) | 5,160,000 | 10/6/2024 |
42. | World Series Game 4: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. NY Yankees (Fox) | 5,077,000 | 10/29/2024 |
43. | NFL on Fox Bonus (Fox) | 5,064,000 | 11/3/2024 |
44. | NBA Finals Game 2: Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks (ABC) | 5,040,000 | 6/9/2024 |
45. | NBA Finals Game 5: Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks (ABC) | 4,842,000 | 6/17/2024 |
46. | NFL Thursday Night Football: Denver vs. New Orleans (Prime Video) | 4,741,000 | 10/17/2024 |
47. | NBA Finals Game 1: Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks (ABC) | 4,651,000 | 6/6/2024 |
48. | NFL Monday Night Football: Miami vs. LA Rams (ESPN) | 4,564,000 | 11/11/2024 |
49. | NFL Monday Night Football on ABC: Buffalo vs. Jacksonville (ABC) | 4,550,000 | 9/23/2024 |
50. | NFL Wild Card Game: Philadelphia vs. Tampa Bay (ESPN) | 4,491,000 | 1/15/2024 |
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