SB XLIII Ranks as 2nd Most-Watched Ever

February 3, 2009

By Marc Berman, Mediaweek

The Arizona Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers matchup on NBC’s coverage of Super Bowl XLIII on Sunday, Feb. 1 averaged a whopping 95.4 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research -- just 2.1 million below the 97.5 million who tuned in for the New York Giants versus New England Patriots one year earlier. 

Comparably, that makes this the second most-watched Super Bowl telecast ever and third most-watched broadcast in television history (behind the M.A.S.H. finale on CBS in 1983 and Super Bowl XLII on Fox). NBC is estimating that 147 million tuned in at some point for the game.  
 
Here are the five most-watched Super Bowl telecasts (Based on average viewers):

1. Super Bowl XLII – Fox (2008): 97.5 million
2. Super Bowl XLIII – NBC (2009): 95.4 million
3. Super Bowl XXX – NBC (1996): 94.1 million
4. Super Bowl XLI – CBS (2007): 93.2 million
5. Super Bowl XXVII – NBC (1993): 91.0

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