Unlike many other sports championship TV viewership which have declined over time, Super Bowl TV viewership has not only held up well, but after a generation of fairly flat viewership, began growing again in the last six years or so. Last year's Super Bowl XLV had the highest average viewership (111.010 million) of any US TV telecast in history.
Will there be another record this year?
Factors that may increase this year's viewership:
- Increased 2011-12 regular season NFL TV ratings
- Two bigger TV markets than last year. NY Giants & New England Patriots are from the #1 and #7 TV markets. Steelers and the Packers, #23 and #70. Not nearly the effect that it has on other sports TV championship ratings, but could provide the margin over the record.
- Rematch of the Super Bowl teams from four years ago.
- Bad weather (could keep Nielsen families at home where they are counted vs. in a bar where they aren't)
Factors that may decrease this year's viewership:
- Game competitiveness. The last four Super Bowls were competitive most of The Game. A game that gets lopsided early would likely take a viewership hit
- Good weather (could keep Nielsen in a bar where they aren't counted) Not sure what the weather forecast is over the major population centers is like this Sunday.
With a competitive game, I'd expect another record.
What's your guess?
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To make a guess on the program after the Super Bowl (The Voice) click here.
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Complete Super Bowl TV Ratings:
| Game | Date | Net | rating | Share | $/30 Sec. Ad | Homes (000) | Viewers (000) | NFC Champion | AFC Champion |
| XLV | Feb 7 2011* | FOX | 46.0 | 69 | 111,010 | Green Bay | Pittsburgh | ||
| XLIV | Feb 7 2010* | CBS | 45.0 | 68 | $2,800,000 | 51,728 | 106,476 | New Orleans | Indianapolis |
| 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 |
2006-11 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: ©2012 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
