There’s no official list of the least watched Olympic sports, because NBC doesn’t release viewership numbers for individual events. But some sports clearly get far less attention than gymnastics, swimming, or basketball. Race walking, modern pentathlon, dressage, and shooting are among the most overlooked Olympic sports in the U.S., and several of them are changing before the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
Key Takeaways
- NBC doesn’t publish viewership for individual Olympic events, so any “least watched” list is based on attention, not official ratings.
- The most-watched moments of Paris 2024 in the U.S. included the women’s gymnastics team final and the men’s basketball final.
- Race walking will have only one distance at LA 2028: the half-marathon walk.
- Modern pentathlon is replacing horse riding with an obstacle course starting in 2028.
- The U.S. has never won an Olympic medal in team handball, but it will play at LA 2028 as the host nation.
10 Least Watched Olympic Sports at a Glance
| Sport | Why Fans Overlook It | Worth Knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Race Walking | Looks odd and is hard to judge on TV | Only the half-marathon walk remains for LA 2028 |
| Modern Pentathlon | Five events are hard to follow | Obstacle course replaces horse riding in 2028 |
| Dressage | Slow pace and judged scoring | Horse and rider are scored together |
| Shooting | Little visible action | Precision under pressure decides medals |
| Trampoline | Short routines, little TV time | Part of Olympic gymnastics |
| Canoe Slalom | Fast, but rarely shown in prime time | Paddlers race through gates on whitewater |
| Sailing | Races happen far from shore | Wind and strategy matter as much as speed |
| Team Handball | Little exposure in the U.S. | The U.S. has never won an Olympic medal in it |
| Water Polo | Most action happens underwater | U.S. women won three straight golds (2012–2020) |
| Artistic Swimming | Judged scoring and an old “water ballet” image | Men became eligible for the team event at Paris 2024 |
How We Picked These Sports
Because official per-event ratings aren’t released, we chose sports based on how much attention they get in the U.S., how often they air in prime time, how easy they are to follow on TV, and how rarely they make headlines outside the Olympics. This is an editorial list, not a ratings chart. Many of these sports are hugely popular in other countries.
1. Race Walking
Race walking looks unusual to new viewers, and its rules are hard to judge by eye. Walkers must keep contact with the ground and straighten their front leg, and judges watch for violations. The event has also kept shrinking. The men’s 50 km walk was dropped before Paris 2024, and at LA 2028 the only race walk distance will be the half-marathon, replacing the 20 km. The marathon mixed relay used in Paris won’t return.
2. Modern Pentathlon
Modern pentathlon combines fencing, swimming, and a combined running and shooting event, plus a fifth discipline. Following five sports at once is hard for casual fans. The sport is also going through its biggest change since 1912: after a horse-riding controversy at the Tokyo Games, horse riding is being replaced by an obstacle course race starting at LA 2028. Paris 2024 was the last Olympics with riding.
3. Dressage
Dressage is often called “horse ballet.” Horse and rider perform precise movements, and judges score the routine. Fans of the sport love the skill involved, but the slow pace and judged scoring make it hard for casual viewers to know who’s winning.
4. Shooting
Olympic shooting is a test of focus and precision, but there isn’t much to see on TV: athletes stand still, and the targets are small. That makes it one of the hardest Olympic sports to follow as a viewer, even when medals come down to the final shot.
5. Trampoline
Trampoline is part of Olympic gymnastics, but it gets far less coverage than artistic gymnastics. Routines are short, and the event usually airs outside prime time, so many viewers don’t realize it’s an Olympic sport at all.
6. Canoe Slalom
Canoe slalom is fast and dramatic: paddlers race down a whitewater course and must pass through hanging gates without touching them. But it rarely gets prime-time coverage in the U.S., so most fans only see it in quick highlights.
7. Sailing
Sailing is a game of wind, tactics, and timing. The problem for viewers is distance: races happen far from shore, and it can be hard to tell who’s leading. Without a clear finish line on screen, sailing struggles to hold TV audiences.
8. Team Handball
Team handball is hugely popular in Europe but barely known in the U.S. It’s one of only three Olympic sports in which the United States has never won a medal, along with badminton and table tennis. U.S. handball teams haven’t qualified for the Olympics since they played as hosts in 1996, but both will play at LA 2028 as the host nation. The sport also faces big funding challenges: USA Team Handball has been the only national governing body of an Olympic sport that receives no funding from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
9. Water Polo
Water polo is one of the toughest sports at the Games, but much of the action, including grabbing and holding, happens underwater where cameras can’t see it. That’s a shame for American fans, because the U.S. women’s team won three straight Olympic golds in 2012, 2016, and 2020. Its winning streak ended at Paris 2024.
10. Artistic Swimming
Artistic swimming, called synchronized swimming until 2017, is extremely demanding: athletes perform lifts and routines while holding their breath. But judged scoring and an outdated “water ballet” image keep many viewers away. The sport made history at Paris 2024, when men were allowed to compete in the Olympic team event for the first time.
What Are the Most Watched Olympic Sports?
For comparison, the biggest U.S. audiences at Paris 2024 came from gymnastics, basketball, and soccer. The women’s gymnastics team final, the men’s basketball final, and the U.S. women’s soccer team’s gold medal win were among the most-watched events, and the men’s basketball gold medal game drew the highest audience of the Games.
If you like offbeat sports, check out our list of the world’s most unusual sports. You can also see which sports are the hardest in the world, or which have the simplest rules for first-time viewers.
FAQ
What is the least watched Olympic sport?
There’s no official answer, because NBC doesn’t release viewership numbers for individual events. Sports that get little attention in the U.S. include race walking, modern pentathlon, dressage, shooting, and sailing. These sports rarely air in prime time and can be hard for casual viewers to follow.
What are the most watched Olympic sports in the U.S.?
At Paris 2024, gymnastics, basketball, and soccer drew the biggest U.S. audiences. The women’s gymnastics team final, the men’s basketball final, and the U.S. women’s soccer gold medal win were among the most-watched events. The men’s basketball gold medal game had the highest viewership of the Games.
Is race walking still in the Olympics?
Yes, but it’s shrinking. The men’s 50 km walk was dropped before Paris 2024, and at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, the only race walk event will be the half-marathon walk for men and women. The marathon mixed relay that debuted in Paris won’t return in 2028.
Is horse riding still part of modern pentathlon?
No. Paris 2024 was the last Olympics with horse riding in modern pentathlon. Starting at LA 2028, riding will be replaced by an obstacle course race. The change followed a controversy at the Tokyo Games, and the sport’s governing body says it will make modern pentathlon more accessible.
Has the U.S. ever won an Olympic medal in handball?
No. Team handball is one of only three Olympic sports, along with badminton and table tennis, in which the U.S. has never won a medal. The U.S. hasn’t qualified for Olympic handball since hosting in 1996, but both its men’s and women’s teams will compete at LA 2028 as the host nation.
Sources
- Boston Globe: NBC Doesn’t Release Viewership for Individual Events
- Axios: For NBC, Paris Olympics Delivered Gold
- NBC Olympics: Track and Field at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics
- NBC Sports: Modern Pentathlon Approves Obstacle Discipline
- Olympics.com: The Future of USA Handball
- Sports Illustrated: U.S. Women’s Water Polo Streak Ends in Paris
- Olympics.com: Men Eligible for Artistic Swimming at Paris 2024
