Whether viewers tuned in to Sunday's big game to see the pursuit of perfection or to root for Tom Brady to get creamed by Michael Strahan, one thing is for certain: Viewers watched in droves.
Fox's broadcast of Super Bowl XLII was the most-watched Super Bowl ever and the second-most-watched broadcast in history, trailing only the series finale of M*A*S*H in 1983. According to Nielsen Media Research, an average of 97.5 million Americans watched the New York Giants beat the previously undefeated New England Patriots by a score of 17-14, pulling off one of the greatest upsets in the history of the game (the greatest being the Joe Namath-led New York Jets defeating the Baltimore Colts in 1969).
In comparison, the M*A*S*H finale clocked in an average 106 million viewers. The previous record for Super Bowl viewers came in 1996, when the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XXX before an average of 94 million Americans.
Fox's broadcast--pregame included--got generally positive reviews from critics, even though the network glammed it up a bit more than normal. Alicia Keys, Paula Abdul, and Justin Timberlake all performed prior to the game, and Ryan Seacrest talked to celebs such as Nick Lachey and NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson on the red carpet outside the stadium. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers performed four songs for the halftime show.
Super Bowl MVP (and real-life version of Friday Night Lights' Matt Saracen) Eli Manning will be a guest on David Letterman's couch this Wednesday, and he'll likely try to explain how he escaped the grasp of three Patriot defensive linemen in his game-winning drive. Manning was supposed to be on last night, but allegedly missed his flight back home. (You would too if you just won the Super Bowl.)
Fox's plan to throw an all-new episode of House on after the game was a big success. The all-new episode, titled "Frozen" and guest-starring Mira Sorvino, was the highest-rated episode in the show's history and the highest-rated scripted program for Fox in over 10 years (the highest-rated being a 1997 post-Super-Bowl broadcast of The X-Files), the network said. The episode will be rebroadcast on February 15.
As is the case each year, a large chunk of viewers who tuned in could care less about who hit a home run or made a slam dunk, and watched for the pricey commercials. Check out TV.com's Super Bowl Commercial Battle feature to rewatch the best or vote on your favorite.
Comments (30)
97.5 million is almost everyone when you consider that these figures are generally based off of ratings, which undoubtedly can't account for the number of people watching per television. I'm inclined to believe the number above is based on some statistic that says "the average number of people watching per TV is X," but factor in partial viewers that wouldn't be accounted for, the anomaly of Super Bowl parties that really can't be accounted for (I've been to some with over 30 people, and I don't know many people who follow football), and factor out the natural number of people who couldn't watch it due to their jobs or other demands and I'd say it's fair to say "almost everyone" inasmuch as "almost everyone" can mean in such a scenario.
first off catin anarchy when they second most all time their refferin here in the states lol plz dont be obtuse ur sucha HOMER for soccer yeah u like soccer we get it move ondid they mention soccer here?? nooo!!! its about football and house lol
Fox's broadcast is second-most watched in history, with almost 100 million viewers.
I live in the UK and would like to correct a mistake in this headline.
Firstly this game may be the 2nd most watched SuperBowl in History, it is certainly nowhere near the 2nd most watched programme in history, neither is MASH.
The F A Cup Final played in UK each May regularly plays live to hundreds of millions around the world each year.
Most countries, English and non-English speaking, take the live broadcast, so the majority of viewers actually watch the event in the middle of their night.
The current record is held by the 2005 final that attracted 484 million viewers worldwide live.
As China becomes more and more Football (not American Football) fanatical i fully expect that record to be doubled or even trebled sometime over the next 10 years.moreless
Does anyone know if this game will be rebroadcast in the near future? Having heard just how great the game was, I would like to see it. Thanks.
Please tell me that this game will be rebroadcast sometime very soon. Does anyone know?
I ate..and watched a bit. BUT mostly ATE. LOL
Love the PUPPY BOWL!
nor was i but i have seen the ads, some good, some horrible, but yay to house and M*A*S*H
And I wasn't one of them. I still have to see the commercials...
Glad to know 97.5 million people watched the G-Men pull off "one of the greatest upsets in the history of football" by beating the Patriots. Could care less about the commercials or House.
So did not care about the game or the commercials.
onaprilthird & Crogos---Well obviously I exagerated. You couldn't get the whole country to do anything if you told them too, and there's a big percentage of people who have various reasons for not watching. I was just making a point that ALMOST everyone came together for this television special.
Hawkeye Pierce for MVP.
Dude, 97mil is almost 1/3 of the country, not "almost everyone"
dude6363 ~97.5 mil isn't nearly the whole country :Pit was a great game though, well what i caught of it.
I love that the picture you show is "Puppy Bowl IV"
I didn't see it! :D
Cool to see M*A*S*H* still keeps the record!
It was a truly great Superbowl, I can't believe the entire country watched. What was the ratings for House?
Not only did I not watch the game; my husband and I have a long-standing tradition that we don't even turn the TV ON on that particular Sunday. Not after the year my husband got in trouble at work when he was covering someone else's shift so that THEY could go to a SB party (very long story), or the year my husband and I were pushed, shoved, and verbally assaulted because he was wearing the "wrong team's shirt" (a gift from his father, who had recently died) - while I was 8 months pregnant! Who needs all that? Neither of us have ever followed football and, after all that, never will.
loved the game and the house episode was great
Well, I myself didn't watch it either, and though I live in New England, I couldn't care less about it. Who cares? As far as I'm concerned, they ought to take all the sports and put them all on ONE SINGLE channel. If they can't all fit, well too bad. Athletes are all way over-paid for playing what are, basically, kids' games.
no did not watch the superbowl it fun to watch but it 3 hours i was in work
Best Super Bowl ever. And the right team finally won. Take that Boston! Maybe this is the beginning of a special year for New York. Mets win the World Series and beat Boston! YES!
I am sorry, but I did not watch the game either. But I sure could hear all the family in the next room yelling at the television. LOL.
why do people still watch it for the commercials when you can watch the commercials online now? that's what i did. the only football that matters is Ohio State Football.
yes but the wrong team won lol
I'm glad fox did well, but why double up on fox first runs in one week? especially when the one on sunday probably got screwed up for anyone having set it to record on their DVR? since anything you air after the superbowl probably wont air on time and you may get less views for it for automatic recorders.
Yay for House! I don't care about the bowl. :D
Ha ha... must still be a little fuzzy from the game. Fixed!
I guess he should change the headline to "Everyone but me watched the Super Bowl"
New York Jets? haha, c'mon Tim!you mixed em up, Giants beat the Patriots, Jets beat the Colts in Super Bowl III