The recent Super Bowl game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers not only went down as the longest Super Bowl game in history but also as the most-watched program in television history. According to Nielsen and Adobe Analytics, the game averaged a staggering 123.4 million viewers across television and streaming platforms. This achievement shattered last year’s record of 115.1 million viewers, showing a remarkable 7% increase. The game was broadcasted on CBS, Nickelodeon, and Univision, and was also streamed on Paramount+ and the NFL’s digital platforms.
Nielsen reported that a record-breaking 202.4 million viewers watched at least part of the game across all networks, marking a 10% increase from the previous year’s figure. The CBS broadcast alone averaged 120 million viewers, surpassing the network’s previous record of 112.34 million viewers for a Super Bowl game. The increase in viewership can partly be attributed to a change in how viewers are counted, with Nielsen now including out-of-home viewers in its ratings from all 50 states.
This year’s Super Bowl was only the second game in the history of the event to go into overtime, with the last one occurring in 2017. The nail-biting overtime session this year was set up by a blocked extra point in the fourth quarter, keeping the game a three-point difference. The match ended with a thrilling 25-22 victory for the Kansas City Chiefs after a 3-yard touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes to Mecole Hardman.
Adding to the excitement of the Super Bowl was the presence of pop superstar Taylor Swift, who attended the game to support her partner, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Swift’s presence and the publicity surrounding her relationship with Kelce brought new fans to the NFL, contributing to the overall increased viewership of the game.
Univision, a Spanish-language network, experienced its highest Super Bowl viewership on record with over 2.2 million viewers. The Super Bowl has been televised in Spanish in the United States since 2014, catering to a diverse audience and expanding the reach of the game to a wider demographic.
The success of the Super Bowl in attracting record-breaking viewership reflects a larger trend in the NFL’s overall viewership numbers. The NFL playoffs leading up to the Super Bowl saw a 9% increase in viewership compared to the previous year, with a regular season that also performed well with an average of 17.9 million viewers, tied for the second highest since ratings were first tracked in 1995.
The Super Bowl’s significant impact on viewership across different platforms and demographics highlights the enduring appeal of the event as a major cultural and entertainment spectacle. The new records set this year underscore the continued popularity of the Super Bowl and the NFL as a whole, paving the way for future success in engaging audiences and expanding the sport’s reach.