The September 2024 Emmys were certainly astonishing! While much of the ceremony focused on whether “The Bear” or “Shogun” would take home the most awards, the event was filled with a variety of memorable moments—from Jessica Gunning’s emotional speech to Kathy Bates joking about her post “Misery” dating struggles.
Dubbed the most important night in television for a reason, the Emmys have been a glamorous spectacle since their debut in 1949, with teams working year-round to ensure its success. And while social media reactions across X, Instagram, and Facebook can reach millions, what truly matters is viewership. In other words, how many people tuned in, how long they stayed, and when they switched off.
The viewing stats for the September 15 ceremony are already in, and they’re revealing some key insights. Here, learn all about these numbers and their meaning.
2024 Emmy Stats: How many people watched this year?
According to Variety, the initial figures show that the 76th edition of the Emmys drew an average of 6.87 million viewers to ABC on Sunday night. That is a 54% increase from the record-low 4.3 million who watched the ceremony on Fox earlier this year.
The 75th Emmys edition was a disaster for the network. Postponed from its original September 2023 date due to the Hollywood strikes, it aired against an NFL playoff game, contributing to its poor ratings.
Now, the Emmys seem to have bounced back, delivering the show’s largest audience in three years since the first 2021 broadcast on CBS. This turnaround is especially notable given that critics and viewers alike found this year’s ceremony rather dull.
Variety critic Alison Herman described the event as “drab” and “muted,” remarking on the challenge of making an awards show exciting when it happens twice in one year. Despite these critiques, the September 15 numbers come as a welcome surprise for producers, signaling a much-needed recovery for the celebration of television.
