Live sports significantly impacted television viewership in 2024 and is a primary reason why many streamers like Netflix are looking at including it within their platforms. Variety's annual list of 100 most watched primetime telecasts demonstrates the popularity with 75 slots for sports programming which is much greater than previous 56 in past years showing an upward trend of audience engagement for live sports. This dominance features 45 NFL games plus nineteen Paris Summer Olympics events together with four of the five NBA Finals games and a big showing from the World Series providing substantial broadcast dominance in television ratings and popular culture influence .
World Series Returns and NCAA Women's Basketball Championship Outshines Men's in Viewership Numbers of 2024
The World Series games have returned to the most watched telecast list due to the New York Yankees matchup versus Los Angeles Dodgers however it was not even listed during past year showing strong performance boost for 2024. A significant development is the absence of the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship while the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship was included in the most watched list creating a paradigm shift in televised sports audiences. The Women's final scored 18.87 million viewers where Men’s final recorded 14.82 million and each were simulcast with even more substantial viewing numbers beyond that mark if all broadcasts had been tallied as single entity.
Presidential Debate Draws Large Audience Despite Single Network Rating
The September 10 ABC Presidential Debate added two appearances into top 100 telecast listing of Variety with the network specifically generating an impressive 20.3 million viewers alone. This specific broadcast also had simulcasts across multiple networks increasing the total to estimated 67.1 million viewers potentially being ranked as number 2 watched event if single viewing numbers could be collected with Super Bowl being at first place. The broadcast on ABC shows high demand for major events but there are always viewership spikes when multi network broadcasts occur in any category of content.
CBS's "Tracker" and Other Series Shows Strong Performances but Still Remain Far from Sports Numbers
Regular primetime television programs had limited impact on primetime ranking list with sports hogging most slots with most remaining slots being held by CBS content programming. CBS breakout show Tracker earned a significant fifteen slots on top 100 list being only less in slots compared to the NFL and the Olympics. “60 Minutes” made several spots alongside “Young Sheldon” two final episodes proving the importance of legacy series for broadcasting studios looking to stay competitive for viewers across various demographic populations with established television programs.
Awards Shows Gain Popularity in 2024 with the Oscars as Top Entertainment Telecast for 20.2 Million Viewers
The most watched awards shows such as the Oscars had 20.2 million viewers on March 10 witnessing "Oppenheimer" winning the Best Picture which was actually an improvement over 19.4 million and 17.6 million viewers in past year respectively indicating gradual improvement with overall viewership. The CBS Grammy's award telecast jumped to 18.1 million viewers which far exceeds 13.4 million and 10.2 million seen during two years prior demonstrating strong growth compared to previous broadcasts showing the rise in awards show programming in 2024 as new trends begin to take form. Grammys had better viewership among the 18-49 adults segment despite the higher overall numbers recorded by the Oscars further showcasing that Grammy Awards Show appeal for a younger age bracket.
NBC Tops Network Rankings Due to the Sunday Night Football and Summer Olympics Coverage
NBC network led total number of slots on the top 100 listing by Variety with 38 showing much growth from 24 from the year before due to its popular Sunday Night Football games as well as the highly engaging primetime broadcast during Summer Olympics showcasing its popularity. CBS was second with 25 slots while ABC secured 12 slots as Prime Video obtained 10 with Fox taking up 9 while ESPN and Fox News each held 5 slots demonstrating NBC’s continued appeal across sports and entertainment content offerings. Variety's metrics measure each networks viewership impact including those like ABC Prime and others using collected data across media networks.
Ratings Overview of Primetime Telecasts Demonstrates Overall Impact Of Sporting Events On Broadcast
The official viewership listing data provided by various organizations in broadcast and cable measure Live + 7 metrics tracking the amount of audience members during the actual telecast while also tracking delayed views up to a week following original air date for increased viewership analytics. These rankings demonstrate strong numbers for the most engaging primetime programs in total viewership and 18–49 age group demographics highlighting most desirable audience demographics. Variety produced their end of year list showing how these most desirable age ranges watch prime time telecast events providing insights into a changing viewing landscape for program creators and studios looking to stay ahead of current market trends.