TV Ratings: Tony Awards Fall With Father’s Day Slot

The audience for the Tony Awards took a hit Sunday — which was also one of the most lightly viewed Sunday on all of traditional TV in recent history.

The Tonys averaged 3.51 million viewers, according to fast national ratings from Nielsen that include out-of-home viewing. Those figures may change slightly in the final numbers, but as it stands, the Broadway honors declined by about 15 percent year to year; last year’s show delivered 4.12 million viewers. It’s the second straight year the Tony Awards have lost viewers. (The awards also streamed on Paramount+, but viewing on that platform isn’t part of Nielsen’s on-air ratings.)

Part of the declines can likely be attributed to Sunday being a very low TV usage night. Primetime on Father’s Day is rarely a big night anyway (give or take a live sports telecast that might fall on the day), but overall TV use was down about 10 percent from the night of the 2023 Tony Awards (which aired a week earlier) and was the lowest for a Sunday night since Nielsen began using metered ratings measurement in 1987.

One other possible factor: The awards ran opposite the premiere of season two of House of the Dragon on HBO and Max, which may have lured some potential Tonys viewers away. Audience figures for the HotD premiere are expected Tuesday morning.

Stereophonic led the haul at the Tonys with five awards, including best play. Musicals The Outsiders and Merrily We Roll Along won four awards each.

The ratings declines for the Tonys add to a mixed — but more positive than negative — set of results for major televised awards shows in 2023-24. The Emmys hit an all-time low in viewers with their delayed telecast, while the Oscars, Grammys and Golden Globes all improved year to year.