Comments on: Super Bowl XLIII now most-watched EVER? Yes!

By: Daniel Kinney · GoDaddy.com “Baseball”

Daniel Kinney · GoDaddy.com “Baseball” — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:21:01 +0000

[...] of Super Bowl XLIII. This was the highest rated Super Bowl in history with 98.7 million viewers (via). With this came all of the stress, pressure, immediate revisions, late nights and overtime one [...]

By: does the UFC really want to be on national tv? - Sherdog Mixed Martial Arts Forums

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 03:41:21 +0000

[...] Posted by legend_20 i dont think the superbowl got 90+ it usually gets half of that Super Bowl XLIII now most-watched EVER? Yes! 98.7 million this year, most ever. That’s just in the US. To answer the original question, I [...]

By: Philip Nealey » Blog Archive » Nielsen Changes Tune: Super Bowl 43 Was Highest Rated, Ever

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 02:30:42 +0000

[...] Via [...]

By: America47000

America47000 — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 01:37:44 +0000

Did they explain what the digital tier networks were, and how they were showing the Super Bowl? Is it as simple an explanation as counting various NBC HD channels? Or is it something more involved?

By: carg0

carg0 — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 01:26:10 +0000

sooo, they just discovered 3million+ viewers 24 hours later to add to the final count?

am i the only one who finds that just a little shady? great game, though.

By: Ray

Ray — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 20:32:08 +0000

Hmm, I need to backtrack a little... apparently, that is how it works for the preliminary overnights. At least that's how Variety quotes Nielsen: "As is standard procedure, yesterday's early 'fast national number' was based on anticipated station coverage. The national overnight data released this morning was generated after we verified the stations carrying the game and are a more accurate reflection of the viewers."

By: Nick C

Nick C — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 19:14:09 +0000

Rob, not near my data, but Pittsburgh’s viewing audience is 2.5M people which puts it in the top 15.

By: Ray

Ray — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 09:11:17 +0000

they should have scoured every guide for every tier of every cable and satellite provider *before* game time.

I don’t think that’s how it works. I think Nielsen uses an audio identification process, so if there was a different audio on some obscure networks, that may have caused the mistake.

By: clutz

clutz — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 01:57:24 +0000

“some digital tier networks” that Nielsen did not know were showing the game?!? With all due respect, when Nielsen knew how big this event typically rates, they should have scoured every guide for every tier of every cable and satellite provider *before* game time. They should have been prepared to monitor every channel that was airing the Super Bowl. I don’t care if the game was on pay channels, sports premium channels, or the Hallmark Channel – Nielsen should have made themselves aware of the broadcast in advance!

*the above comment was not made by an NBC exec who paid money for this data, but it could have been*

By: Semblance

Semblance — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 01:55:21 +0000

Cool. You can update your historical chart now:

http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/01/18/historical-super-bowl-tv-ratings/11044

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:58:46 +0000

Rob, indeed, but we have it covered here:

http://tvbythenumbers.com/category/ratings/nielsen-weekly-top-broadcast-tv-show-ratings

By: rob

rob — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:52:58 +0000

i think the final is 42.0 with a 64 share.

By: Semblance

Semblance — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 23:51:27 +0000

When will we get the final national average Nielsen rating (not number of viewers)?

By: tony romo

tony romo — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 23:33:28 +0000

the record will just get broken again next year in SB XLIV when the Cowboys are in.

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 23:08:12 +0000

Nick, Pittsburgh #23 according to Nielsen estimates for this season. But that’s just the Pittsburgh DMA.

http://tvbythenumbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/2008_09_dma_ranks.pdf

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 23:03:36 +0000

Julia, see the updated text of the Nielsen explanation via AP above. If I worked at NBC, I’d be upset with Nielsen. Since I don’t, it’s instead very interesting!

By: Julia

Julia — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 22:35:27 +0000

Interesting. I still don’t buy NBC being too pissed about this, even if they did special order the numbers. I mean, they got to claim a game which no one was predicting would have big numbers was the second most watched game ever. And now they get to claim #1. All the outlets that ran yesterday’s numbers will run the updated ones as well.

And, yeah, I caught that little lie of theirs. Very clever. What it really shows is that M*A*S*H was a show that most people purposely tuned into and watched all of.

By: Nick C

Nick C — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 22:24:53 +0000

Pittsburgh is a top 15 market.

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 22:02:59 +0000

more for Julia than anyone but this is from Hibberd who is just now posting about this, his site seems taxed so here is the pertinent text:

Ratings often change for a live event’s national rating. But NBC special ordered overnight nationals yesterday from Nielsen that should have, in theory, matched the official Sunday numbers that typically come out on Tuesdays.

“Nielsen agrees that there was a problem that caused an enormous disparity in the preliminary and final numbers,” said Alan Wurtzel, president of research, NBC Universal. “They are looking into the problem. But the final report card is accurate: This Super Bowl is the most-watched program in television history.”

his site seems back up now. It’s worth reading what he has to say about NBC stretching the truth with its most-watched ever claim.

http://www.thrfeed.com/2009/02/nbc-claims-super-bowl-is-the-mostwatched-tv-event-ever.html

By: E

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:50:32 +0000

why so many changes? yesterday it was 2nd most watched superbowl, now, the most watched?

By: rob

rob — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:20:14 +0000

pit is a small market but has a huge national following.

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:17:26 +0000

Dave, I agree last year had a better story (18-0!) and bigger markets, but Pittsburgh is a huge draw and seems a better draw Super Bowl wise sometimes better even than the New York Giants. there is a huge national following for the Steelers, but I still agree with Bill’s conclusion in terms of NBC outperforming FOX.

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:14:16 +0000

dave, I attribute the Super Bowl viewer jump to NBC vs. Fox. Until last season, Fox’s Super Bowls were always lower rated than other recent ones from competing networks. And although it was in 1998, NBC’s last Super Bowl was much higher rated than other recent ones from competing networks.

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:11:25 +0000

Also, re: Super Bowl spots, I read anecdotal reports of advertisers who’d have bailed after buying if not already contractually obligated. Although no names were named, so that must be taken with a grain of salt.

By: dave

dave — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:09:31 +0000

Odd, why would a game with one team from an uncelebrated sports market and Pittsburgh outdraw an undefeated New England, and huge market New York? Last year had bigger teams, and a better story.

Maybe more viewers stuck around for halftime? NBC’s marketing was better? Any insights?

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:57:29 +0000

theoretically this is good news for CBS who has the game next year because it will sell based on these ratings. but because of the economy, perhaps not. NBC has been pretty open about being lucky it had sold 85% of the spots well in advance and it did not reportedly get the $3 million bounty per 30 seconds for the few final spots it sold at the end.

By: ProFootballTalk.com - SUPER BOWL XLIII MOST-VIEWED SHOW EVER?

ProFootballTalk.com - SUPER BOWL XLIII MOST-VIEWED SHOW EVER? — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:49:23 +0000

[...] From TVByTheNumbers.com comes news that NBC is touting Super Bowl XLIII not only as the most-watched Super Bowl ever, but also the most-viewed television show in history. [...]

By: Name Required

Name Required — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:40:13 +0000

Let NBC have its fun, because everyone knows outside of sports the rest of what it airs is marginal at best and the ratings show it.

NBC’s new slogan “At Least Our Ratings are Better than the CW when football isnt on !!”

By: clutz

clutz — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:34:28 +0000

STEELER NATION

By: R.G.

R.G. — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:34:08 +0000

I see – their counting all the 2 year olds—-please!!!!!!!???

By: JS

JS — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:33:31 +0000

so the largest audience in tv history was subjected to nbc’s onslaught of Heroes promos and there was no ratings improvement whatsoever. wow. shut it down.

By: R.G.

R.G. — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:31:18 +0000

I say we wait and SEE the numbers – like a peacock – I think their just showing off the last bit of fame until the olympics…NBC – THE NEW CW!

Hey – where’s Mon results…are they in—really wanting to see how 24 did against competition.????????????????????????????????????

By: R.G.

R.G. — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:27:33 +0000

(also rolling his eyes)…Come – ON – NBC really is a peacock -

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:27:16 +0000

I think it’s the 3D effect on the ratings. Without the glasses, they’re flat, blurry and 95 million.

Put the 3D glasses on and they jump right out at you and bam! 98.7 million.

By: Craig S

Craig S — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:08:36 +0000

I guess I’m surprised it would increase, typically for live events the overnights tend to be overstated, not understated, or at least that’s what I’ve noticed. So I would have expected the 95.4 million to be the highest it could achieve when the final results came in. But apparently the overnights can underestimate the final number by a bit too.

By: Name Required

Name Required — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:57:45 +0000

They must have used the same vote counters that Minnesota used in the Franken-Coleman recount by counting some people twice.

In any event, it was the best Super Bowl that I can remember. Both teams fought to the bitter end with twists and turns and spectacular plays. I still cant believe Harrison didnt get the MVP award for that record breaking 100 yard interception runback ending just as the clock hit zero. That guy was robbed. Holmes catch was a close 2nd.

By: rob

rob — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:56:21 +0000

wasnt yesterday just the overnite estimated #’s…why is it suprpising that they would change ?

By: Craig S

Craig S — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:31:38 +0000

what exactly does “additional counting” mean?? They missed something the first time or were missing data? Don’t really matter to me if it was most watched or 2nd most, but it seems a little shady that they all of a sudden found 3 million extra viewers between yesterday and today.

By: fiona

fiona — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:08:30 +0000

-rolls eyes-

By: Nick C

Nick C — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:50:29 +0000

TomSD, I doubt it, I bet that number keeps dropping.

By: TomSD

TomSD — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:41:45 +0000

If that’s the case, The Office nubers should go up as well.