Two sporting events last week — the Kentucky Derby and first round of the NFL draft — pulled in more television viewers than the Oscars, something inconceivable only a couple of years ago, the Associated Press reports.
The Nielsen company said 14.5 million people watched Medina Spirit win the Derby on Saturday, and all the surrounding hoopla of the event, on NBC. The draft’s opening, televised on ABC, ESPN and the NFL Network, reached 12.6 million people combined.
Less than two weeks earlier the Academy Awards, once one of the most-watched events of the year, barely topped 10 million viewers.
The Derby’s audience beat last year’s event, seen by only 9.4 million people because it was held in September because of the pandemic. It was down 12% from the 2019 race.
Draft coverage was down 19% from 2020, although that event attracted a sports-starved audience in the second month of the pandemic. But in an era when most TV events struggle to reach an audience, this year’s opening round was the second most-watched opening of the draft ever.
CBS was the most-watched network in prime time last week, averaging 4.8 million viewers. ABC had 3.2 million, NBC had 2.9 million, Fox had 2.1 million, Univision had 1.2 million, Ion Television had 1 million and Telemundo had 920,000.
➤Top 20 Prime Time shows (Total Viewers):
1. “NCIS,” CBS, 8.55 million.
2. “60 Minutes,” CBS, 7.62 million.
3. “FBI,” CBS, 7.57 million.
4. “Young Sheldon,” CBS, 7.34 million.
5. “The Equalizer,” CBS, 7.23 million.
6. “The Voice,” NBC, 6.8 million.
7. “NFL Draft, Round 1,” ESPN, 6.48 million.
9. “American Idol,” ABC, 6.01 million.
10. “911,” Fox, 5.97 million.
11. “FBI: Most Wanted,” CBS, 5.62 million.
12. “NCIS: Los Angeles,” CBS, 5.61 million.
13. “Magnum, P.I., CBS, 5.35 million.
14. “Mom,” CBS, 5.3 million.
15. “United States of Al,” CBS, 5.25 million.
16. “Bull,” CBS, 5.02 million.
17. “911: Lone Star,” Fox, 4.92 million.
18. “The Neighborhood,” CBS, 4.89 million.
19. “NCIS: New Orleans,” CBS, 4.79 million.
20. “Bob Hearts Abishola,” CBS, 4.69 million.
ABC’s “World News Tonight” won the evening news ratings race, averaging 7.4 million viewers. NBC’s “Nightly News” had 6.5 million and the “CBS Evening News” had 4.9 million.
Fox News Channel led the cable networks, averaging 2.2 million viewers in prime time. ESPN had 2.04 million, MSNBC had 1.59 million, HGTV had 1.3 million and CNN had 1.1 million.
As has become the norm in recent weeks, Tucker Carlson Tonight averaged the largest audience on cable news, 2.9 million total viewers to go with 502,000 adults 25-54. Carlson drew 3.1 million total viewers to go with 601,000 adults 25-54 the previous week.
Tucker Carlson Tonight, The Five and Hannity were the top three shows on cable news for the week in total viewers and among adults 25-54, TV Newser reports.
➤Basic Cable TV Ranker (Total Viewers):
➤Basic Cable TV Ranker (Viewers 25-54):
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