EPL sets U.S. TV record
The NHL had its best opening weekend of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on record, averaging 1.53 million viewers across ESPN, ABC and TNT/truTV.
Data and Directories
EDITOR'S PICKS
NFL draft first rounders by agency, by year
Track agency representation in the NFL Draft’s first round with SBJ’s annual breakdown of agents, agencies, teams and players.
NHL scores best average viewership on TV in 14 seasons
Games across ESPN and ABC were up 30% this season (54 telecasts), as the company had its best audience since coming back as an NHL partner prior to the 2021-22 season, averaging 760,000 viewers. TNT Sports also had its best season yet as an NHL partner, averaging 381,000 viewers over 72 games
Post Position: How Louisville is becoming a sports business pacesetter
Louisville is emerging as a sports business hub, leveraging the Kentucky Derby, youth sports, new hotels, arenas and mixed-use districts to boost tourism, jobs and investment.
NBA draws best viewership in seven seasons in first year of new media deals
A big reason for the jump this year was the increase in games on broadcast TV, as the league went from 24 last season to 62 for the 2025-26 season. Broadcast TV accounted for 32% of the NBA’s national exposures compared to 14% last season.
CBS draws best Masters final round in 11 years with McIlroy’s repeat
CBS averaged 14 million viewers on Sunday for Rory McIlroy’s win in the Masters, the highest viewership total for the final round in 11 years.
NBA completes best three-year attendance stretch, topping 22.1 million fans
The NBA drew 22.18 million fans and 97% capacity for a third straight season, with 11 full-season sellouts.
AUDIENCE ANALYSIS
Data Drive
Data Drive: Get-in prices for WNBA games
A look at the 10 games with the highest get-in prices for WNBA games as of Tuesday, April 14, with a chart showing the top prices and matchups.
Data Drive: Flag football is coming to a college near you
The Big 12 announcement last week of women’s flag football’s arrival for at least six teams in 2028 snagged a lot of headlines, but you’ll see the sport on many college fields well before then at all division levels.
Civic Science/SBJ Sports Consumer Insights
Survey: MLB fans favor salary cap, Nashville and Budweiser
A CivicScience/SBJ Sports Consumer Insights survey found that MLB fans favor a salary cap. More than a third of the fans surveyed selected Nashville as the favorite market for expansion, and Budweiser was the most recognized sponsor.
Best Sports Business Cities: Soccer
Best Sports Business Cities: Soccer
In Sports Business Journal’s third year of its Best Sports Business Cities franchise, we rank the 25 U.S. markets with the strongest soccer economies.
ALL DATA STORIES
Decision speed is the next competitive advantage in sports
More data won’t separate the best businesses from the rest. Access and speed will. The organizations that build the best businesses will be the ones that use agentic AI to act on insight while the opportunity still exists.
By Jordy Leiser
Audience Analysis: Premier League sets U.S. record; Stanley Cup Playoffs start strong
The NHL had its best opening weekend of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on record, averaging 1.53 million viewers across ESPN, ABC and TNT/truTV.
By Austin Karp
Sports tourism report: Fans spent $111.2B traveling in the U.S. in 2025
2026 State of the Industry Report that the Sports Events and Tourism Association reports record metrics for travel industry
By David Broughton
NHL scores best average viewership on TV in 14 seasons
Games across ESPN and ABC were up 30% this season (54 telecasts), as the company had its best audience since coming back as an NHL partner prior to the 2021-22 season, averaging 760,000 viewers. TNT Sports also had its best season yet as an NHL partner, averaging 381,000 viewers over 72 games
By Austin Karp
Audience Analysis: WNBA Draft gets second-best figure; UFC has top viewership in 10 years
CBS had its second UFC simulcast on Saturday with UFC 327, and it was again the best UFC telecast in a decade.
By Austin Karp
NBA draws best viewership in seven seasons in first year of new media deals
A big reason for the jump this year was the increase in games on broadcast TV, as the league went from 24 last season to 62 for the 2025-26 season. Broadcast TV accounted for 32% of the NBA’s national exposures compared to 14% last season.
By Austin Karp
Louisville wins bid to host USA Gymnastics 2028 Olympic trials
USA Gymnastics and the Louisville Sports Commission announced Wednesday that Louisville has been awarded the governing body’s 2028 U.S. Olympic team trials.
By David Broughton
CBS draws best Masters final round in 11 years with McIlroy’s repeat
CBS averaged 14 million viewers on Sunday for Rory McIlroy’s win in the Masters, the highest viewership total for the final round in 11 years.
By Josh Carpenter
Data Drive: Get-in prices for WNBA games
A look at the 10 games with the highest get-in prices for WNBA games as of Tuesday, April 14, with a chart showing the top prices and matchups.
By Ethan Joyce
NBA completes best three-year attendance stretch, topping 22.1 million fans
The NBA drew 22.18 million fans and 97% capacity for a third straight season, with 11 full-season sellouts.
By David Broughton
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