1. Super Bowl
National
More than 70,000 fans filled Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta to watch the New England Patriots defeat the Los Angeles Rams and claim their sixth N.F.L. title in Super Bowl LIII. Maroon 5 headlined the halftime show, which also included performances from Big Boi and Travis Scott. In addition to the game, a weeklong program of events drew more than 500,000 people to music shows, interactive fan festivals, and community events leading up to Super Bowl Sunday. Per the Nielsen ratings, 98.2 million people watched the broadcast. Next: February 2, 2020
See more: Super Bowl LIII: 27 Ways Brands Took Over Downtown Atlanta
More than 70,000 fans filled Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta to watch the New England Patriots defeat the Los Angeles Rams and claim their sixth N.F.L. title in Super Bowl LIII. Maroon 5 headlined the halftime show, which also included performances from Big Boi and Travis Scott. In addition to the game, a weeklong program of events drew more than 500,000 people to music shows, interactive fan festivals, and community events leading up to Super Bowl Sunday. Per the Nielsen ratings, 98.2 million people watched the broadcast. Next: February 2, 2020
See more: Super Bowl LIII: 27 Ways Brands Took Over Downtown Atlanta
Photo: Kara Durrette/N.F.L.
2. N.C.A.A. Men's Final Four
National
The college basketball championship caps off the monthlong March Madness tournament. This year’s tournament returned to Minneapolis, where Virginia beat Texas Tech in overtime to win its first national title. Beyond the semifinal and final games, the Final Four included four days of activities throughout the city, including Fan Fest and the March Madness Music Fest featuring performances from the Jonas Brothers and Katy Perry. Seventy thousand people attended in person, and 23.5 million TV viewers tuned in for the overtime final. Next: April 4-6, 2020
The college basketball championship caps off the monthlong March Madness tournament. This year’s tournament returned to Minneapolis, where Virginia beat Texas Tech in overtime to win its first national title. Beyond the semifinal and final games, the Final Four included four days of activities throughout the city, including Fan Fest and the March Madness Music Fest featuring performances from the Jonas Brothers and Katy Perry. Seventy thousand people attended in person, and 23.5 million TV viewers tuned in for the overtime final. Next: April 4-6, 2020
Photo: E. M. Pio Roda/TBS
3. World Series
National
Broadcast on Fox, the 2019 World Series marks Major League Baseball’s 115th championship. In 2018, an average of 14.3 million viewers tuned in to watch the Boston Red Sox beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games. Fox reported that an average of 240,000 viewers per minute streamed the game across all of its streaming platforms, a 40 percent increase from Game 5 of the 2017 series. Next: Begins October 22, 2019
Broadcast on Fox, the 2019 World Series marks Major League Baseball’s 115th championship. In 2018, an average of 14.3 million viewers tuned in to watch the Boston Red Sox beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games. Fox reported that an average of 240,000 viewers per minute streamed the game across all of its streaming platforms, a 40 percent increase from Game 5 of the 2017 series. Next: Begins October 22, 2019
Photo: Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images
4. U.S. Open Tennis Championships
New York
The U.S. Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York was more popular than ever this year, with a record 853,227 attendees, 23 sold-out matches, 300 million social media interactions, and nearly 1.3 million viewers of ESPN’s coverage of the event, a 23 percent increase over 2018. The tournament’s new U.S. Open Now live-streaming lifestyle channel attracted 5.5 million viewers from across the globe. On the courts, 19-year-old Canadian Bianca Andreescu won her first Grand Slam title, and Rafael Nadal earned his 19th after a nail-biting final match that lasted nearly five hours. Next: August 24-September 6, 2020
See more: U.S. Open 2019: 22 Tennis-Theme Highlights From Sponsors and Satellite Events
The U.S. Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York was more popular than ever this year, with a record 853,227 attendees, 23 sold-out matches, 300 million social media interactions, and nearly 1.3 million viewers of ESPN’s coverage of the event, a 23 percent increase over 2018. The tournament’s new U.S. Open Now live-streaming lifestyle channel attracted 5.5 million viewers from across the globe. On the courts, 19-year-old Canadian Bianca Andreescu won her first Grand Slam title, and Rafael Nadal earned his 19th after a nail-biting final match that lasted nearly five hours. Next: August 24-September 6, 2020
See more: U.S. Open 2019: 22 Tennis-Theme Highlights From Sponsors and Satellite Events
Photo: Billie Weiss/U.S.T.A.
5. Masters Golf Tournament
Up from #6
Augusta, Georgia
Tiger Woods reclaimed his spot as golf’s top player when he finished at 13 under par to win the 2019 Masters for the first time in 14 years. Under threat of thunderstorms at Augusta National Golf Course, the final round was rescheduled from the afternoon to the morning. While the change resulted in an overall ratings decline from last year, 37.2 million people tuned in to see the final 18 holes on CBS, making it the most-watched morning golf broadcast in 32 years. Upwards of 35,000 fans attended the tournament in person. Next: April 9-12, 2020
Augusta, Georgia
Tiger Woods reclaimed his spot as golf’s top player when he finished at 13 under par to win the 2019 Masters for the first time in 14 years. Under threat of thunderstorms at Augusta National Golf Course, the final round was rescheduled from the afternoon to the morning. While the change resulted in an overall ratings decline from last year, 37.2 million people tuned in to see the final 18 holes on CBS, making it the most-watched morning golf broadcast in 32 years. Upwards of 35,000 fans attended the tournament in person. Next: April 9-12, 2020
Photo: Kyodo News Stills via Getty Images
6. N.B.A. All-Star Game
New to the list
National
The N.B.A. All-Star Game has evolved into a citywide celebration of basketball-fueled excitement. With teams named for their captains, the 2019 exhibition matchup saw Team LeBron (James) defeat Team Gannis (Antetokounmpo) 178 to 164. From Friday through Sunday, the event took over Charlotte, North Carolina, in the form of more than 150 events, skills contests, brand activations, community outreach opportunities, fan experiences, and A-list parties. Nearly seven million viewers in the United States watched the game itself, which also aired in 215 countries. The event generated an estimated $100 million in economic impact for the city. Next: February 16, 2020
National
The N.B.A. All-Star Game has evolved into a citywide celebration of basketball-fueled excitement. With teams named for their captains, the 2019 exhibition matchup saw Team LeBron (James) defeat Team Gannis (Antetokounmpo) 178 to 164. From Friday through Sunday, the event took over Charlotte, North Carolina, in the form of more than 150 events, skills contests, brand activations, community outreach opportunities, fan experiences, and A-list parties. Nearly seven million viewers in the United States watched the game itself, which also aired in 215 countries. The event generated an estimated $100 million in economic impact for the city. Next: February 16, 2020
Photo: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images
7. Kentucky Derby
Louisville, Kentucky
Drama reared its head on the track Churchill Downs during the 145th annual Kentucky Derby. While Maximum Security crossed the finish line first, the horse was later disqualified, and Country House ultimately trotted away with the win. More than 150,000 people attended, and 16.5 watched the action on NBC and NBC Sports digital platforms. An estimated 18 million people watched NBC’s TV coverage of the race, and viewership spiked to 18.5 million during post-event coverage of the controversial result. Next: May 2, 2020
Drama reared its head on the track Churchill Downs during the 145th annual Kentucky Derby. While Maximum Security crossed the finish line first, the horse was later disqualified, and Country House ultimately trotted away with the win. More than 150,000 people attended, and 16.5 watched the action on NBC and NBC Sports digital platforms. An estimated 18 million people watched NBC’s TV coverage of the race, and viewership spiked to 18.5 million during post-event coverage of the controversial result. Next: May 2, 2020
Photo: Brian Bohannon/NBC
8. Daytona 500
Daytona Beach, Florida
More than one million Nascar fans attended the “Great American Race” at the Daytona International Speedway in 2019. The event officially started with a flyover from the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds during the national anthem, after which Denny Hamlin bested his fellow drivers in the 207-lap, 500-mile race. More than nine million viewers watched the action on Fox, slightly down from 2018. Next: February 16, 2020
More than one million Nascar fans attended the “Great American Race” at the Daytona International Speedway in 2019. The event officially started with a flyover from the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds during the national anthem, after which Denny Hamlin bested his fellow drivers in the 207-lap, 500-mile race. More than nine million viewers watched the action on Fox, slightly down from 2018. Next: February 16, 2020
Photo: Courtesy of Daytona International Speedway
9. Boston Marathon
Boston
The world’s oldest annual marathon has been run in Boston every year since 1897. Braving the rain for yet another year, roughly 500,000 people lined the streets of Boston to cheer on the 30,000 athletes participating in the race. Kenya’s Lawrence Cherono and Ethiopia’s Worknesh Degefa, both of whom ran the race for the first time, were the male and female winners, respectively. A memorial to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing was unveiled near the finish line. In total, the event raised a record-breaking $38.7 million. Next: April 20, 2020
The world’s oldest annual marathon has been run in Boston every year since 1897. Braving the rain for yet another year, roughly 500,000 people lined the streets of Boston to cheer on the 30,000 athletes participating in the race. Kenya’s Lawrence Cherono and Ethiopia’s Worknesh Degefa, both of whom ran the race for the first time, were the male and female winners, respectively. A memorial to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing was unveiled near the finish line. In total, the event raised a record-breaking $38.7 million. Next: April 20, 2020
Photo: FayFoto Boston
10. N.F.L. Draft
New to the list
National
The N.F.L. Draft set all sorts of records this year, with 47.5 million people watching the action on TV, $133 million generated in direct spending, $224 million in economic impact, and 115 countries broadcasting around the world. Nashville hosted the three-day event for the first time, engaging some 600,000 football fans with free outdoor concerts from talent like Tim McGraw and Dierks Bentley, the open-to-the-public N.F.L. Draft Experience festival, and other events. Next year, the festivities move to Paradise, Nevada, near Las Vegas. Next: April 23-25, 2020
National
The N.F.L. Draft set all sorts of records this year, with 47.5 million people watching the action on TV, $133 million generated in direct spending, $224 million in economic impact, and 115 countries broadcasting around the world. Nashville hosted the three-day event for the first time, engaging some 600,000 football fans with free outdoor concerts from talent like Tim McGraw and Dierks Bentley, the open-to-the-public N.F.L. Draft Experience festival, and other events. Next year, the festivities move to Paradise, Nevada, near Las Vegas. Next: April 23-25, 2020
Photo: Courtesy of the N.F.L.
