2/5/09 Update: chart and table updated with 2009 information.
Unlike many other championship sporting events which have declined over time, Super Bowl TV ratings have not only held up well, but after a generation of fairly flat results, have begun growing again in the past 4 years and last year's Super Bowl XLII had the most average viewers ever. Whether that's part of a longer term growth trend, or just a short term uptick remains to be seen.
Those who are more statistically gifted may want to try and analyze the ratings trends vs. TV network or market size of the teams or sunspot density. Before last year, it seemed that the Fox telecast games were always less viewed than the games on the other networks in the surrounding years. Super Bowl XLII went against that trend though, at least for a year. It's been 11 years since NBC had the Super Bowl, but the 90 million that watched in 1998 were the most until 2005. Could NBC be headed for another record this year? Steelers vs. Cardinals is a long way from Patriots vs. Giants as a TV ratings dream matchup, but how much will it matter? What's your guess for viewership for Super Bowl XLIII?
1/20 Edit: I'm going to guess 93 million based on two factors. Super Bowl XL (Pittsburgh/Seattle) did 90.745 million, and that NBC has historically done better with viewership than recent games on the other networks (although that history is getting a bit dated).
Complete Super Bowl TV Ratings, 1967-2009:
| Date | Net | rating | Share | $/30 Sec. Ad | Homes (000) | Viewers (000) | NFC Champion | AFC Champion | |
| XLIII | Feb 1 2009* | NBC | 42.0 | 64 | $3,000,000 | 48,139 | 98,732 | Arizona | Pittsburgh |
| XLII | Feb 3 2008* | FOX | 43.1 | 65 | $2,699,963 | 48,665 | 97,448 | New York Giants | New England |
| XLI | Feb 4 2007 * | CBS | 42.6 | 64 | $2,385,365 | 47,505 | 93,184 | Chicago | Indianapolis |
| XL | Feb 5 2006 * | ABC | 41.6 | 62 | $2,500,000 | 45,867 | 90,745 | Seattle | Pittsburgh |
| XXXIX | Feb 6 2005 | FOX | 41.1 | 62 | $2,400,000 | 45,081 | 86,072 | Philadelphia | New England |
| XXXVIII | Feb 1 2004 | CBS | 41.4 | 63 | $2,302,200 | 44,908 | 89,795 | Carolina | New England |
| XXXVII | Jan 26 2003 | ABC | 40.7 | 61 | $2,200,000 | 43,433 | 88,637 | Tampa Bay | Oakland |
| XXXVI | Feb 3 2002 | FOX | 40.4 | 61 | $2,200,000 | 42,664 | 86,801 | St. Louis | New England |
| XXXV | Jan 28 2001 | CBS | 40.4 | 61 | $2,200,000 | 41,270 | 84,335 | NY Giants | Baltimore |
| XXXIV | Jan 30 2000 | ABC | 43.3 | 63 | $2,100,000 | 43,618 | 88,465 | St. Louis | Tennessee |
| XXXIII | Jan 31 1999 | FOX | 40.2 | 61 | $1,600,000 | 39,992 | 83,720 | Atlanta | Denver |
| XXXII | Jan 25 1998 | NBC | 44.5 | 67 | $1,291,100 | 43,630 | 90,000 | Green Bay | Denver |
| XXXI | Jan 26 1997 | FOX | 43.3 | 65 | $1,200,000 | 42,000 | 87,870 | Green Bay | New England |
| XXX | Jan 28 1996 | NBC | 46 | 68 | $1,085,000 | 44,145 | 94,080 | Dallas | Pittsburgh |
| XXIX | Jan 29 1995 | ABC | 41.3 | 62 | $1,150,000 | 39,400 | 83,420 | San Francisco | San Diego |
| XXVIII | Jan 30 1994 | NBC | 45.5 | 66 | $900,000 | 42,860 | 90,000 | Dallas | Buffalo |
| XXVII | Jan 31 1993 | NBC | 45.1 | 66 | $850,000 | 41,990 | 90,990 | Dallas | Buffalo |
| XXVI | Jan 26 1992 | CBS | 40.3 | 61 | $850,000 | 37,120 | 79,590 | Washington | Buffalo |
| XXV | Jan 27 1991 | ABC | 41.9 | 63 | $800,000 | 39,010 | 79,510 | NY Giants | Buffalo |
| XXIV | Jan 28 1990 | CBS | 39 | 63 | $700,400 | 35,920 | 73,852 | San Francisco | Denver |
| XXIII | Jan 22 1989 | NBC | 43.5 | 68 | $675,000 | 39,320 | 81,590 | San Francisco | Cincinnati |
| XXII | Jan 31 1988 | ABC | 41.9 | 62 | $645,000 | 37,120 | 80,140 | Washington | Denver |
| XXI | Jan 25 1987 | CBS | 45.8 | 66 | $600,000 | 40,030 | 87,190 | NY Giants | Denver |
| XX | Jan 26 1986 | NBC | 48.3 | 70 | $550,000 | 41,490 | 92,570 | Chicago | New England |
| XIX | Jan 20 1985 | ABC | 46.4 | 63 | $525,000 | 39,390 | 85,530 | San Francisco | Miami |
| XVIII | Jan 22 1984 | CBS | 46.4 | 71 | $368,200 | 38,880 | 77,620 | Washington | LA Raiders |
| XVII | Jan 30 1983 | NBC | 48.6 | 69 | $400,000 | 40,480 | 81,770 | Washington | Miami |
| XVI | Jan 24 1982 | CBS | 49.1 | 73 | $324,300 | 40,020 | 85,240 | San Francisco | Cincinnati |
| XV | Jan 25 1981 | NBC | 44.4 | 63 | $275,000 | 34,540 | 68,290 | Philadelphia | Oakland |
| XIV | Jan 20 1980 | CBS | 46.3 | 67 | $222,000 | 35,330 | 76,240 | LA Rams | Pittsburgh |
| XIII | Jan 21 1979 | NBC | 47.1 | 74 | $185,000 | 35,090 | 74,740 | Dallas | Pittsburgh |
| XII | Jan 15 1978 | CBS | 47.2 | 67 | $162,300 | 34,410 | 78,940 | Dallas | Denver |
| XI | Jan 09 1977 | NBC | 44.4 | 73 | $125,000 | 31,610 | 62,050 | Minnesota | Oakland |
| X | Jan 18 1976 | CBS | 42.3 | 78 | $110,000 | 29,440 | 57,710 | Dallas | Pittsburgh |
| IX | Jan 12 1975 | NBC | 42.4 | 72 | $107,000 | 29,040 | 56,050 | Minnesota | Pittsburgh |
| VIII | Jan 13 1974 | CBS | 41.6 | 73 | $103,500 | 27,540 | 51,700 | Minnesota | Miami |
| VII | Jan 14 1973 | NBC | 42.7 | 72 | $88,100 | 27,670 | 53,320 | Washington | Miami |
| VI | Jan 16 1972 | CBS | 44.2 | 74 | $86,100 | 27,450 | 56,640 | Dallas | Miami |
| V | Jan 17 1971 | NBC | 39.9 | 75 | $72,500 | 23,980 | 46,040 | Dallas | Baltimore |
| IV | Jan 11 1970 | CBS | 39.4 | 69 | $78,200 | 23,050 | 44,270 | Minnesota | Kansas City |
| III | Jan 12 1969 | NBC | 36 | 70 | $55,000 | 20,520 | 41,660 | Baltimore | NY Jets |
| II | Jan 14 1968 | CBS | 36.8 | 68 | $54,500 | 20,610 | 39,120 | Green Bay | Oakland |
| I | Jan 15 1967 | CBS | 22.6 | 43 | $42,500 | 12,410 | 26,750 | Green Bay | Kansas City |
| I | Jan 15 1967 | NBC | 18.5 | 36 | $37,500 | 10,160 | 24,430 | Green Bay | Kansas City |
2006-9 Data is Live+Same Day, all other years are Live viewing.
Ad expenditure data from Nielsen Monitor-Plus.
Note: Super Bowl 1 aired on both CBS & NBC.
Nielsen TV Ratings Data: ©2008 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
