Full Breakdown
Sunday Night Baseball Hits Record Viewership on NBC and Peacock
8/6/2026, 6:13:03 AM
Record Viewership Milestone
NBC Sports announced that a recent Boston Red Sox–Los Angeles Dodgers game averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 3.8 million viewers across the NBC broadcast and Peacock streaming platform. This marked the first time since Sunday Night Baseball began tracking cable ratings in 1995 that three consecutive games have each surpassed three million viewers.
Recent Game Performance
The three-game streak began with the Dodgers-Yankees matchup on July 19, which drew 3.9 million viewers. It continued with the Yankees-Phillies contest on July 26, attracting 3.2 million viewers. The Red Sox-Dodgers game followed, reaching 3.8 million viewers and peaking at 4.4 million during the 9:45 p.m. ET quarter-hour. In overall season rankings, that broadcast was the third-most-watched MLB game of 2026, behind the Yankees-Red Sox game on June 28 (4.0 million) and the Dodgers-Yankees game on July 19 (3.9 million).
Viewership Growth Data
NBC Sports reported that Sunday Night Baseball’s average audience this season is 2.8 million viewers, representing a 62 % year-to-date increase. The Red Sox-Dodgers game was also the fifth Sunday Night Baseball broadcast of the season to average at least three million viewers, the most such occurrences since 2010.
Impact on the MLB Broadcast Landscape
The sustained high ratings underscore the growing importance of a dual-platform strategy that combines traditional network airing with streaming via Peacock. By delivering the three most-watched MLB games of the season, NBC Sports demonstrates that Sunday Night Baseball remains a premier venue for national baseball exposure, potentially influencing future rights negotiations and advertising rates.
Upcoming Sunday Night Games
NBC and Peacock will continue the series later this month at 8 p.m. ET, featuring AL Triple Crown leader Yordan Alvarez and the first-place Houston Astros against San Diego Padres and seven-time All-Star Manny Machado. The matchup is scheduled as part of the ongoing Sunday Night Baseball lineup.
