Spotlighting Highest Viewed Sports in the World: The Top 10 Most Watched Sporting Event in History
Before the advent of television, people watched their favorite sports in-person. Thanks to TV broadcast rights and streaming avenues today, sports fans can now watch their tournaments and individual events from the comfort of an LCD screen.
Still, a common denominator with most sports is the fight for supremacy. For instance, soccer teams around the world maintain a strong rivalry over which clubs and players are better. In quite a closely related fashion, there's always the nail-biting question of which sporting event has the highest viewership.
Evelyn Balyton, long-term sports analyst, addresses this issue and provides stats-based insights into the most watched sport events of all time.
How We Rank the Most Watched Sporting Events
There's more to viewing figures than simply the number of people who tune in to the TV while the event is ongoing. This is because nowadays, there are multiple ways to stream games. So, our ranking of the most-watched sporting events are based on three metrics namely:
TV and streaming viewership
Peak viewership times during the event broadcast
Average duration of viewing
Streaming is fast becoming a popular alternative to broadcast TV. If you want all the extra goodies and services that come with streaming, then Google “internet near me” to find a better upgrade to your current provider.
That said, let's jump right into the list, shall we?
Our List of the Highest Viewed Events in the World of Sports
As promised, below are 10 of the most-viewed sports and games of all time as of July 2024. The list is arranged in descending order of viewer numbers.
Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony
Summer Olympics are no doubt one of the anticipated sporting events globally. Historically, most people prefer to watch specific episodes like the Men's 100 meter final, Women's Soccer, Gymnastics, Men's Basketball and Swimming. However, the 2008 Beijing Olympics proved to be an important exception.
According to Nielsen, more than two billion people watched the 2008 Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony. Total TV audience was estimated at 4.7 billion viewers. Since then, the numbers at the Summer Olympic games have fallen drastically. Only about three billion watched the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, another 3.6 billion viewed at least one minute of the Rio Summer Games in 2016 and the London 2012 Olympics.
FIFA World Cup Final
Former Ballon D'or winner and England striker, Michael Owen once said, "There's nothing quite like a World Cup." Like the Olympic games, the tournament takes place only every four years, with every country throwing it all on the line to qualify for soccer's most prestigious contest. So it's not surprising that the Men's FIFA World Cup attracts a global viewership estimated at 3.3 billion.
The most recent game, the World Cup final between France and Argentina in 2022 had about 1.5 billion people tune in. Most people look out for the tournament because of the betting upsets and the drama involved when top players meet in knockout football.
Tour de France
Actual viewership of the Tour de France is hotly debated but most stats put the total TV and streaming audience between 3.3 to 3.5 billion. Held every summer, the Tour de France is the biggest cycling competition globally. Participants in the tournament compete in teams of eight over the course of 23 days, cycling through over 2,000 miles cut in 21 stages.
Cricket World Cup
For the average American audience, the inclusion of the Cricket World Cup may appear odd. However, for lovers of the sport in India and Pakistan as well as Australia and South Africa, they'd be pushing for a higher ranking. The global tournament takes place across six weeks and draws about 2.6 billion people. However, since cricket is not popular in the U.S., many people in the country cannot watch the competition over cable television.
Winter Olympic Games
Although not as popular as the Summer Games, the Winter Olympics still manage to pull in a massive audience than even many other sporting events put together. The games hold every four years, but unlike the Summer games, no mainstream sports take place. Instead, there are winter events like ice hockey, figure skating, skiing and Bobsleigh. At the last Winter Olympics, over 2 billion people were reported to have tuned in at different points.
Women's World Cup
Soccer games are generally some of the biggest events in the world of sports. Interestingly, the month-long Women's World Cup also makes the list of competitions with a record-breaking attendance. Some 2 billion viewers watched the ninth edition in 2023 hosted by Australia and New Zealand. The tournament follows a similar pattern as the FIFA Men's World Cup and may possibly rival the finals in viewership in the future.
UEFA Champions League Final
Arguably the world's most prominent club competition, the UEFA Champions League final attracts between 380 million to 450 million every year. Some analysts argue that the 2022 final between Real Madrid and Liverpool drew an outlandish 700 million viewers.
The season-long tournament comprises top European teams from the Premier League, Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A and other reputable leagues. One of the best parts about the UCL is that its audience can discover the thrill of soccer wagering by betting on their favorite teams from the group stage to the final.
Super Bowl
Perhaps one of the most-watched events in American sports history, the Super Bowl is the culmination of the NFL season. The 2024 Super Bowl which saw Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers go head to head had 123.7 million viewers. Held on what is called Super Bowl Sunday, each edition features a popular artist headlining the halftime break, further helping drive in new audiences.
Wimbledon
In 2023, Wimbledon saw a total of 25.6 million across its different matches. That's no surprise for a tournament that has royals as its spectators. The tournament is the only grand slam hosted on grass and takes place annually at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London. As former tennis player John McEnroe puts it, "There's a certain beauty and majesty to Wimbledon. The elegance, the way the grass looks on TV."
NCAA Final Four
Popularly known as the zenith of Men's college basketball, the NCAA Final Four features the drama of single-elimination basketball brackets. About 15 million people tune in annually to see how their school measures up against NBA prospects from other colleges. The March Madness game is also known for its live betting upsets.
Conclusion
From the Olympics to soccer, cricket and tennis, this list shows the power of sports and, of course, television, to unite people across borders. As more sporting events take place and broadcasters develop new ways to transmit these games, millions of people will continue to tune in.
Ultimately, this means the list of the most watched sports will continue to evolve. But regardless of what new events take centre stage, the sheer passion and desire for excellence that marks these tournaments will remain constant.
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