Sports Business Digest » Who watched the Super Bowl? Everyone.

Who watched the Super Bowl? Everyone.

Posted on February 8th, 2010. Written by Emmett Jones.

According to preliminary results from The Nielsen Company, CBS’s broadcast of Super Bowl XLIV attracted an average audience of 106.5 million U.S. viewers, making it the most watched Super Bowl of all time. The game was viewed in 51.7 million households, making it the most watched television program of all time among households, beating the M*A*S*H finale in 1983, which was seen by an average of 50.2 million homes. The game scored a preliminary 45.0% U.S. household rating.

“The Super Bowl remains the premier television event of the year, and is one of the few programs in an era of fragmented TV viewership that can still attract a huge national audience,” said Dave Thomas, Nielsen President, Media Client Services. “This year’s Super Bowl had a compelling narrative, with the underdog New Orleans Saints coming from behind against powerhouse Indianapolis Colts. There was tremendous interest in both the game and the advertisements leading up to last night and the excitement of the game itself translated into record ratings.”

TOP FIVE MOST WATCHED SUPER BOWLS OF ALL TIME

Super Bowl Date Network Teams Avg. # of Viewers (000)

XLIV Feb 7, 2010* CBS New Orleans-Indianapolis 106,480

XLIII Feb 1, 2009* NBC Arizona-Pittsburgh 98,732

XLII Feb 3, 2008* FOX NY Giants-New England 97,448

XXX Jan. 28, 1996 NBC Dallas-Pittsburgh 94,080

XLI Feb 4, 2007* CBS Chicago-Indianapolis 93,184

Source: The Nielsen Company
* Live + Same Day Viewing Estimates Include DVR Playback On The Same Day, Defined As 3AM-3AM

Not surprisingly, New Orleans and Indianapolis earned some of the highest ratings among local markets, with averages of 56.3% and 54.2% of TV households, respectively, tuned to the game. This weekend’s Mid-Atlantic snowstorm kept many viewers inside their homes, leading to impressive ratings in Washington, DC:

TOP 5 LOCAL MARKETS, SUPER BOWL XLIV

Market Rating Share Households (000)

New Orleans 56.3 82 357

Washington, DC 56 73 1307

Nashville 54.4 73 554

Indianapolis 54.2 80 607

Columbus, OH 54 74 488

Source: The Nielsen Company

TOP FIVE MOST WATCHED SUPER BOWLS OF ALL TIME
Super Bowl	Date	Network	Teams	Avg. # of Viewers (000)
XLIV	Feb 7, 2010*	CBS	New Orleans-Indianapolis	106,480
XLIII	Feb 1, 2009*	NBC	Arizona-Pittsburgh	98,732
XLII	Feb 3, 2008*	FOX	NY Giants-New England	97,448
XXX	Jan. 28, 1996	NBC	Dallas-Pittsburgh	94,080
XLI	Feb 4, 2007*	CBS	Chicago-Indianapolis	93,184
Source: The Nielsen Company * Live + Same Day Viewing Estimates Include DVR Playback On The Same Day, Defined As 3AM-3AM

TOP 5 LOCAL MARKETS, SUPER BOWL XLIV
Market	Rating	Share	Households (000)
New Orleans	56.3	82	357
Washington, DC	56	73	1307
Nashville	54.4	73	554
Indianapolis	54.2	80	607
Columbus, OH	54	74	488
Source: The Nielsen Company

Looking at the data, that is pretty impressive. The 2010 Super Bowl saw a nearly 8 million viewer increase in viewer ship despite have some “strikes” going against it. Namely, the huge snow storm in the eastern part of the country that certainly knocked out the power in many homes (example? Around the Horn host Tony Reali complaining yesterday on twitter about his Comcast Cable not working) and no Brett Favre!

So what caused the big jump? Peyton Manning’s attempt at a second championship? The human interest story that is the Saints? Were the commercials that much better than year’s past? I don’t know, but it looks like the NFL might have a hit on its hands. Yes, this Super Bowl thing might have some wings, me thinks.

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