Sports have always served as a point of connection between people — but sports broadcasting took that bond to new heights. When live sporting events are broadcast on television or streamed online, viewers can watch alongside fans from around the world as a competition unfolds. It creates an unparalleled sense of camaraderie, and as a result, televised sporting events bring in large viewership numbers (plus plenty of advertising dollars) because of their tradition, history, and popularity.
Sports fans today, however, are consuming their favorite sporting events in different ways, and the next generation of industry thought leaders will need to understand the numerous ways in which the world of sports is evolving. Knowing what sporting events people love most and how they want to experience them could help you create powerful career opportunities in this ever-growing industry.
What Is the Most-Watched Sporting Event in the World?
According to FanNation Futbol, the FIFA World Cup is the most-watched sporting event in the world, drawing more than 1.5 billion viewers for the final match and over 5 billion viewers over the course of the 2022 tournament.
This staggering number surpasses other international sporting events in viewership. The tournament also generated a massive social media buzz, with 93.6 million posts across all platforms that had a cumulative reach of 252 billion and a total of 5.95 billion engagements.
What is the Most Watched Sporting Event in America?
The Super Bowl stands as the most-watched sporting event in the United States. Known for its high-stakes football matchups, star-studded halftime performances, and iconic commercials, it draws in millions of viewers each year. More than just a football game, the Super Bowl has become a cultural staple, bringing together friends and families to witness the culmination of the NFL season. With its unmatched audience reach, the Super Bowl consistently tops TV ratings, making it the biggest televised event in America. In 2025, Super Bowl LIX set a new record, averaging 127.7 million viewers and reaching a total of 191.1 million viewers, making it the most-watched broadcast in U.S. television history.
Brief History and Evolution of Televised Sporting Events
Around the turn of the 20th century, when the ways we communicated with one another were rapidly changing, it was clear that people would want to use the latest technology to keep abreast of their favorite sports teams.
Updates about major sporting events and games were first sent on the telegraph wires, and once radios became a household staple, people could get up-to-date information right from their living rooms. By the middle of the century, live sports broadcasting on radio and television became the norm. Ever since that time, fans of all ages have been tuning into sporting events they care about.
What Was the First Televised Sporting Event?
Long before every home in the United States had a television set, sports events were broadcast live on TV. The first televised sporting event occurred in 1939. The National Broadcasting Company decided to give live coverage a try, and they broadcast a Columbia-Princeton baseball game to nearly 400 TVs in the local area. The audiences loved it, so they quickly began covering major league games — and the rest is history.
Viewership Increase
Over the years, sports viewership continued rising, particularly as technology became more accessible and affordable to the masses. In the U.S., the Super Bowl became the clear favorite among audiences, with viewers increasing rapidly year after year. This fervor over the Super Bowl essentially led to Super Bowl Sunday becoming an unofficial national holiday of sorts — with people having parties, buying new large-screen TVs and tuning in to watch the game as well as the infamous commercials. In 2025, Super Bowl LIX drew an average of 127.7 million viewers across U.S. television and streaming platforms, setting a new record as the most-watched Super Bowl ever.
Cultural Impact
The rise of live sports broadcasting also began to shape pop culture, especially in the U.S. There was a sense that everyone had to tune into these major events because no one wanted to be the person who didn’t witness that incredible play or seemingly impossible catch. Around the world, people are drawn to live sporting broadcasts for the sense of camaraderie that comes from cheering on a team or an individual athlete with both friends and strangers. These events also carry immense cultural significance, drawing viewers from around the world and symbolizing national pride for the participating countries. Their global appeal not only boosts their popularity but also underscores their importance in the international sports landscape.
Other Most Watched Sporting Events in the World
International sporting event viewership trends tend to look slightly different from American sports trends, as fans across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East prefer different sports. Data compiled by the World Atlas shows soccer and cricket as two of the most well-loved sports around the world, whereas basketball and baseball have the most fans in the United States specifically.
Women’s World Cup
While the Men’s World Cup is considered the most-watched sporting event internationally, the Women’s World Cup is not far behind. The event’s popularity has increased significantly in recent years, with more than 2 billion viewers in some capacity in 2023, per an article on Statistica.com. According to Reuters, the broadcast peaked on BBC One, with more than 12 million viewers tuning in at once — which was more than the Men’s Wimbledon final that same year.
Olympics – Summer and Winter Games
By bringing together world-class athletes from around the globe and having them compete in the name of their country, the Olympics attracts an international audience that is different from any other televised sporting event.
In 2020, during the Tokyo Summer Olympics, more than 3 billion people tuned into the televised events. In 2022, the Winter Olympics in Beijing drew an international audience exceeding 2 billion viewers. In 2024, the Paris Summer Olympics reached a staggering global audience, approximately 5 billion individuals, representing about 84% of the potential global viewing base, with each person watching an average of nine hours of coverage. The vast number of sporting events available, as well as the compelling tales of athleticism and heroism, make them some of the most captivating live sports broadcasts.
Cricket World Cup
The Cricket World Cup is a beloved event around the world, particularly for enthusiasts in England, India and Australia, where the sport is incredibly popular. The 2023 Cricket World Cup was considered a resounding success as national teams across many countries competed. Across the entire event, it’s possible that more than 2 billion people tuned in — but the highest concurrent viewership level took place during a semi-final match between India and New Zealand, when 53 million people were watching at once. According to the Economic Times, that was the highest total global viewership ever recorded for a cricket match.
Tour de France
It might come as a shock to an American sports fan, but the Tour de France pulls in higher viewership numbers than the Super Bowl game. According to Advertising Week, global viewership for the Tour de France totals more than 3.5 billion across the entire three-week event, making it one of the most-watched sporting events in the world.
UEFA Champions League
It may not be the Men’s World Cup, but the UEFA Champions League event is still one of the most widely-viewed sporting events in soccer. In 2023, it attracted an estimated 450 million viewers worldwide. The 2024 final was seen by around 145 million people across in‑home broadcasts, live streaming, and public venues.
Wimbledon
Wimbledon is the ultimate destination for tennis fans who want to witness the highest level of the sport. The tournament attracts millions of viewers who stream the BBC’s coverage on their preferred platforms and devices. In fact, 54.3 million streams were recorded between the BBC’s iPlayer and BBC Sport online streaming platforms. In 2023, Carlos Alcaraz’s final match attracted 11.3 million viewers on the BBC alone, with the entire tournament drawing over 25.6 million viewers in total.
Sports and Technology
Content consumption is changing rapidly around the world, with more people using their phones and mobile devices to catch the shows and events they want to see. Rather than tuning into a traditional TV broadcast, more and more viewers are looking into their streaming options. As a result, the sports industry is rapidly changing and adjusting to accommodate the evolving preferences and advancing technology of today.
Impact on Sports Broadcasting
As digital sports viewership continues rising rapidly, the sports broadcasting industry has had to evolve and meet the needs of consumers who want instant gratification and immersive experiences. More than 90 million people are expected to watch live sports on digital platforms in 2025, which is a 26 percent projected jump from current levels. The way that sports are broadcast, the platforms on which they are available and the advertisers supporting those events will need to adapt to this seismic shift in sports broadcasting.
Technology’s Role in Increased Viewership Numbers
While technology is changing the playing field for major sports events and how they are broadcast, it’s also making those same events more accessible to new viewers. In total, viewership appears to be rising across many major sporting events, with fans from new demographics becoming excited about sports from around the globe.
Other Most Watched Sporting Events in America
Sports have become an integral part of culture in the United States, and Americans of all ages are tuning into the country’s most exciting sporting events. Though American sporting events don’t draw the same viewership levels as some international sporting events, they are still iconic in their own right.
NBA Finals
Taking place in early June each year, the NBA Finals are the culmination of basketball season in America. While viewership has trended down more recently, this event still rakes in more than 11 million American viewers each year. In 2023, more than 11.64 million people watched the event. The 2024 Finals drew an average U.S. audience of approximately 11.3 million viewers across five games, marking a slight dip from 2023.
Kentucky Derby
According to Front Office Sports, more than 14.8 million people watched thoroughbred Mage claim victory at the 2023 Kentucky Derby on NBC or Peacock. Fast forward to 2025, and the event reached heights not seen since 1989: approximately 17.7 million viewers tuned in to watch Sovereignty win at Churchill Downs, peaking at 21.8 million during the race’s final moments. The Derby weekend culminates with the grand finale, where three-year-old thoroughbreds race over one and a quarter miles at the iconic Churchill Downs track. This marquee event captivates millions of viewers worldwide.
NCAA Final Four
In the waning days of winter, the American population becomes consumed by brackets and college basketball standings. This frenzied fervor can be attributed to March Madness, the nickname for the college basketball tournament that pits champion-level schools against others that just feel lucky to be there. The NCAA Final Four is the last round of the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament and is known to draw high viewership numbers. The 2025 Final Four — featuring the Florida Gators, Houston Cougars, Auburn Tigers, and Duke Blue Devils — captivated audiences across the country. Overall, Final Four weekend drew around 16.4 million viewers across all platforms, the most since 2017’s Final Four.
World Series
Baseball has long been considered America’s pastime, so it’s not surprising that the World Series is anticipated by baseball fans around the country. The World Series pits the American League champion against the National League champion to crown the MLB’s championship team for the season. In 2024, it is estimated that more than 18 million tuned in to watch the Los Angeles Dodgers claim their eighth World Series title in franchise history over the New York Yankees.
Masters Golf Tournament
The Masters Golf Tournament remains a must-watch spectacle, appealing to both dedicated golf fans and casual viewers. Famed for its immaculate landscapes, the challenging Augusta course, and the iconic green jacket awarded to the victor, the Masters embodies tradition and excellence in the sport. As one of golf’s four major championships, it showcases top players battling for prestige and history.
In 2025, Rory McIlroy’s thrilling final-round victory, completing a career Grand Slam, captured massive attention: the CBS broadcast for the final round averaged 12.7 million U.S. viewers, a remarkable 33% increase over 2024, and marked the most-watched Masters final since 2018. Viewership peaked at 19.54 million viewers between 7:00 and 7:15 p.m. ET, making it the highest-watched 15‑minute window on CBS since 2018.
These record-setting numbers underscore the tournament’s massive appeal, and the Masters once again stands as one of the most-watched sporting events in golf — and all of television.
The Influence of Iconic Athletes on Sporting Events’ Popularity
Iconic athletes play a pivotal role in boosting the popularity of sporting events, captivating audiences worldwide. Their exceptional talent, compelling personalities, and inspiring personal journeys inject a heightened sense of excitement into already competitive events. Legends like Michael Jordan in basketball and Serena Williams in tennis have not only dominated their sports but also attracted fans far beyond the usual followers. Their influence extends beyond the game, creating lasting legacies and storylines that make these events memorable for generations to come.
Future of Televised Sporting Events
Clearly, the landscape for televised sporting events is shifting, thanks in large part to the needs and preferences of digital consumers. Some trends taking shape include:
- Local sporting events are finding alternative networks on which to broadcast.
- Major events are finding ways to stream online in addition to broadcasting on traditional TV.
Live sports broadcasting is still going to play a pivotal role in American communities as well as countries around the world. However, audiences may just be watching their favorite teams on different channels or platforms than before.
Turn Your Passion Into a Career at Johnson & Wales Online
The sports and entertainment industry is one of the most powerful and dynamic fields of our time, and you could have a front-row seat as you watch it evolve. At Johnson & Wales University Online, we offer an online Bachelor of Science in Sports, Entertainment & Event — Management, which will prepare you for a future-forward career in this area.
For more information about completing your degree online, complete the Request Info form, call 855-JWU-1881, or email [email protected].