To no one’s surprise, the NFL’s most dominant franchise in recent years attracts the most TV viewers, according to new research by S&P Global Markete Intelligence, which also found that a number of U.S. TV markets without professional sports teams actually have more viewers than ones that do.
According to the researcher’s report—Professional Sports Viewing by US TV Market, 2025, Columbus, Ohio reported 61% NFL game viewership, surpassing many markets with NFL teams (for the record, Columbus does have the Bluejackets NHL franchise). The leading sorts TV markets were Dallas-Ft. Worth, Buffalo, NY, and Cincinnati, OH, all leading with 79% viewership across various sports leagues.
The report also confirmed that Kansas City remains the top NFL market with 72% of respondents watching NFL games, an increase from 67% in 2024..
For the MLB, Sacramento saw a viewership surge, following the A's relocation from Oakland. MLB viewership in Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, Calif., rose to 41%, a 10% point increase from 2024. Houston and Memphis dominate NBA viewership, with both cities reporting the highest NBA game viewership among NBA TV markets, with Houston at 50% and Memphis at 49%.
In the NHL, Salt Lake City experienced the most significant growth in viewership, increasing from 12% in 2024 to 19% in 2025. Conversely, Miami saw a decline despite the Panther's Stanley Cup victory, dropping from 28% to 23%.
For Major League Soccer, international star Lionel Messi has clearly influenced viewer behavior. His arrival at Inter Miami CF boosted MLS viewership in Miami-Ft. Lauderdale to 21%, up from 16% in 2024. Boston also saw notable growth, increasing from 9% to 14%.
