Past the halfway point of 2016, here is a look at the top sporting events of the year so far. With few exceptions, this year has been marked by declines. The Super Bowl posted declines in ratings and viewership for the first time in three years. College football’s national championship sank double-digits. The NCAA Final Four delivered some of its worst numbers on record. Five of seven NBA Finals games declined. The MLB All-Star Game hit a record low. The Kentucky Derby, Masters and Daytona 500 also fell, as did smaller events like the Indy 500 and Stanley Cup final. Bright spots have included the most-watched AFC Championship Game in 30 years (Patriots/Broncos), the most-watched NBA game in 18 years (Cavaliers/Warriors Game 7), the most-watched NBA game ever on cable (Thunder/Warriors Game 7), and the most-watched Copa America match ever (Chile/Argentina). And even in a down year, the Super Bowl still delivered the third-largest audience in U.S. television history.(Sports Media Watch)
NASCAR’s only event on the list was the Daytona 500. It was the 31st most-watched event. Shown on FOX, the race got a 6.6 rating, with 11.36 million viewers.
