Sports Media Watch compiled a list of the 50 most watched sporting events in 2014 and it’s pretty much proven what you already know–football is king. Nine out of the 10 most watched sporting events thus far have NFL games, the #1 being the Super Bowl. [lead image via Shutterstock]
The only other event in the Top 10 that wasn’t football related were the opening ceremonies of the Sochi Winter Olympics which came in at #9. Maybe if people knew Irina Shayk was going to look the way she did, the ratings would have been higher.
In all seriousness, the fact that football accounts for the majority of this list doesn’t surprise me but the fact that the highest of the United States Men’s National Team games ranks #17 is kind of bullsh*t. The only excuse I can come up with is that most people were at work (which is actually a pretty good reason now that I think about it).
[image credit Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images Sport]
1. Super Bowl 48, Seahawks vs. Broncos
112.19 million viewers | Network: FOX | Rating: 46.7
[image credit: Jonathan Ferrey / Getty Images Sport]
2. NFC Championship, Seahawks vs. 49ers
55.91 million viewers | Network: FOX | Rating: 28.5
[image credit: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images Sport]
3. AFC Championship, Patriots vs. Broncos
51.30 million viewers | Network: CBS | Rating: 28.1
[image credit: Jonathan Daniel / Getty Image Sport]
4. NFC Wild Card, 49ers vs. Packers
47.10 million viewers | Network: FOX | Rating: 25.8
[image credit: Justin Edmonds / Getty Image Sport]
5. AFC Divisional Playoff, Chargers vs. Broncos
41.21 million viewers | Network: CBS | Rating: 23.1
[image credit: Elsa / Getty Image Sport]
6. NFC Wild Card, Saints vs. Eagles
34.36 million viewers | Network: NBC | Rating: 19.1
[image credit: Grant Halverson / Getty Image Sport]
7. NFC Divisional Playoff, 49ers vs. Panthers
33.30 million viewers | Network: FOX | Rating: 19.9
[image credit: Elsa / Getty Image Sport]
8. AFC Divisional Playoff, Colts vs. Patriots
31.69 million viewers | Network: CBS | Rating: 17.8
[image credit: Bruce Bennett / Getty Image Sport]
9. Olympics, Opening Ceremony
31.69 million viewers | Network: NBC | Rating: 17.0
[image credit: Otto Greule Jr / Getty Image Sport]
10. NFC Divisional, Saints vs. Seahawks
31.10 million viewers | Network: FOX | Rating: 18.1
