Most Watched Professional Sports on TV in 2025

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In 2025, the professional sports that people are most likely to watch on TV are primarily dominated by American football and basketball.

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National Football League (NFL): The NFL remains the most-watched professional sport in the United States. It consistently draws the highest viewership numbers, with significant events like the Super Bowl attracting tens of millions of viewers. For instance, the NFC Divisional Playoff game between the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers was one of the top-rated broadcasts in 2024. Additionally, the NFL's regular season games averaged around 15 million viewers in 2025, although this is a slight decrease from the previous year.
National Basketball Association (NBA): The NBA also enjoys substantial viewership, particularly on platforms like ESPN. Through 34 games, NBA games on ESPN platforms averaged 1,959,000 viewers, with significant boosts during high-profile games like those on Christmas. The NBA continues to be a major draw for sports fans, especially during key events and playoffs.
College Football: College football, particularly significant games like the National Championship, also garners high viewership. For example, the College Football Playoff national championship game between Ohio State and Notre Dame drew an average of 22.1 million viewers in 2025.
Major League Baseball (MLB): While not as dominant as the NFL or NBA, MLB still has a substantial viewership. The league remains profitable and popular among traditional sports fans, although its viewership is somewhat lower compared to football and basketball.
eSports: Although not traditionally considered a "professional sport" in the same vein as football or basketball, eSports have seen a significant rise in popularity, especially among younger audiences. The global eSports audience is projected to exceed 318 million by 2025.

In summary, the NFL and NBA are the most likely professional sports to be watched on TV in 2025, followed by college football and MLB, with eSports rapidly gaining a substantial viewership base.

Most Watched Professional Sports on TV in 2025

Preview

In 2025, the professional sports that people are most likely to watch on TV are primarily dominated by American football and basketball.

Preview

National Football League (NFL): The NFL remains the most-watched professional sport in the United States. It consistently draws the highest viewership numbers, with significant events like the Super Bowl attracting tens of millions of viewers. For instance, the NFC Divisional Playoff game between the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers was one of the top-rated broadcasts in 2024. Additionally, the NFL's regular season games averaged around 15 million viewers in 2025, although this is a slight decrease from the previous year.
National Basketball Association (NBA): The NBA also enjoys substantial viewership, particularly on platforms like ESPN. Through 34 games, NBA games on ESPN platforms averaged 1,959,000 viewers, with significant boosts during high-profile games like those on Christmas. The NBA continues to be a major draw for sports fans, especially during key events and playoffs.
College Football: College football, particularly significant games like the National Championship, also garners high viewership. For example, the College Football Playoff national championship game between Ohio State and Notre Dame drew an average of 22.1 million viewers in 2025.
Major League Baseball (MLB): While not as dominant as the NFL or NBA, MLB still has a substantial viewership. The league remains profitable and popular among traditional sports fans, although its viewership is somewhat lower compared to football and basketball.
eSports: Although not traditionally considered a "professional sport" in the same vein as football or basketball, eSports have seen a significant rise in popularity, especially among younger audiences. The global eSports audience is projected to exceed 318 million by 2025.

In summary, the NFL and NBA are the most likely professional sports to be watched on TV in 2025, followed by college football and MLB, with eSports rapidly gaining a substantial viewership base.