Super Bowl delivers its highest overnight TV rating ever

Posted by Michael David Smith on February 2, 2015, 9:11 AM EST
AP

The early numbers are in, and the Super Bowl was a huge hit on TV.

NBC Sports PR has announced that the Patriots’ Super Bowl XLIX victory over the Seahawks delivered a 49.7 overnight rating, the highest in Super Bowl history.

Last year’s Super Bowl overnight rating was a 47.6 for the Seahawks’ blowout win over the Broncos. Closer games generally deliver higher ratings; the previous year’s nail-biter between the Ravens and 49ers got a 48.1 overnight rating, which was the record until now.

The Super Bowl’s total number of viewers, which could be an American television record, will be announced later today.

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81 responses to “Super Bowl delivers its highest overnight TV rating ever”

  4. To bad the half-time show was awful. And the commercials, other than Pete Rose and the Toyota spots, were a waste of air-time. At least there’s the Richard Sherman reaction to the interception.

  5. That’s a lot of viewers watching the Seahawks ‘shutdown corner’ hiding on one side of the field as NE’s best receiver torched Sea 4th DB for the game winning TD.

  8. While this is certainly good news for football, it’s kind of a double edged sword. Those in charge, like Goodell, will see this as a $ign that what they are doing to the game via rule changes are actually a good thing. Which they obviously are, for ratings purposes. That being said, sooner or later those of us who enjoy the game for the game will stop watching becuase it isn’t the same anymore. Goodell will then have built up the popularity and destroyed it all at the same time.

  9. I love that so many people got to see what happens when a media driven bunch of lies blows up in everyones face. At the after party, every single player said they were extra motivated because of the unfair treatment and lies spewed toward them the last 2 weeks.

  12. Ohhhhh boy —> then let the 32 NFL owners deduce that Goodell is the one responsible for the spectacular ratings. Let’s give Roger a huge raise on his gi-normously jacked up salary, because the NFL’s success must be attributed to Roger.

    It can’t be possible that the NFL is successful by the simple reason that it’s just the most compelling game on the planet played with the globe’s best football players, could it???

  13. Loved the half time show. Great game to watch especially final minutes. Everything there for football fans.

  15. My household may actually be part of the other half.

    I got chased to the non cabled TV at 9 PM so my wife could watch Downington Abbey.

    This morning she asked me how the Steelers did in the Super Bowl. Yikes!

  16. You could put a leaking colostomy bag in the role of NFL Commish, and the NFL would have jacked up ratings.

    Ohhhhh wait, that’s pretty much what we already have in place — only it wears a suit and tie (and ducks the media when “it” doesn’t want to answer questions).

  19. Where I everybody saying “Mark Cuban was right about the NFL”. Highest rating in history. Nosebleed seats selling for nearly $10k before kickoff. 7 Billion in TV money per year. Business s good for the NFL.

  20. The NFL’s success couldn’t possibly come from the fact it has the most compelling game and corresponding drama of any sport on the planet — played by the world’s best football players, could it?

    The fact is, the NFL is great largely BECAUSE of the nature of the game itself AND the players who play it, and the coaches who coach it. The NFL could install a leaking colostomy bag as Commissioner, and it would still grow and earn profits — only it wouldn’t be a hypocritical self-contradictor who wears a suit and tie, and ducks the media when it suits it.

  21. Did anyone notice that during the SB trophy being carried by Kurt Warner to the podium that one guy trying to touch and kiss the trophy was a spitting image of Woody Johnson??!!! That’s the closest he will ever get to that trophy!!!

  22. Two weeks of watching shows and I can only think of one guy that picked the Patriots to win: Marshall Faulk. A number of folks on ESPN picked both the Colts and then the Seahawks to blow the Patriots out. If I were as bad at my job as those guys I’d go home and rethink my life.

  23. Fantastic game! Cris Collinsworth was a horrible announcer. Why didn’t he just put on a Seahawks shirt? Too much partiality towards the Seahawks made for terrible announcing. I can’t stand him.

  24. What great game! I think it has something to do with an earlier start time, I swear a few weeks ago they announced the game at 8:30 EST not 6:30 EST. Not sure when they changed it but I think that let more people stay up for the game since it was over around 10:30 and not 12:30.

  26. I am a Patriots fan. What I don’t completely understand is why Patriots fans can not win with a little more dignity and class.
    That is one of the most exciting games in recent memory. The Seahawks played an incredible game. It was like a heavy weight bout with two fighters going toe to toe.The Seahawks clearly deserved to be there. To see several of their players on the field playing with tough injuries was amazing. Again they have my respect. My hat is off to them and their fans. I know, in part, what you’re feeling because of a play made by a reciever called Tyree.

  27. These ratings were mostly fueled by America’s complete and utter disdain for the Seattle Seahawks franchise, their legion of band wagon fans and their unrelenting propensity to talk trash at every opportunity.

    Most classless team and fanbase in the history of the NFL. We drink your tears Seattle

  28. Everyone loved seeing a bunch of classless clowns handed their lunch…and then act like petulant children…

  31. Whoever is reporting that this was the most watched game ever isn’t very good at math. It seems that is a lot of media outlets. As the population grows, so does the denominator…

  33. I tuned him out because I was at a party but I heard the same thing about Collinsworth from friends and family across the country. He usually is not a Pats basher. He must have sucked yesterday…

  34. Seeing Sherman’s face was the highlight of my evening. Not because I despise him, but because as a Packers fan, I had the exact same look on my face last week.

  35. I’ve already watched the game 4 times on the DVR…so the ratings are still going up haha

  36. Belichick 49.7
    Harbawl 48.1

    Bill wins again.

    I don’t know what was more enjoyable last night: Watching Kurt “Sore Loser” Warner carry the Lombardi through the entire Pats team and hand it to them or sour puss John Harbaugh sitting on the panel.

    Love it.

    Silly Seattle. One ring does not a dynasty make.

  37. whoever put down that seven figure bet on the Pats is having a nice little Monday

  38. “And maybe 25 people total watched because of Chris Collinsworth. Sadly, listening to him was the worst part of the entire game.”

    _________________________________

    Totally agree. I normally love Collinsworth’s work, but he was horrible and off of the mark this entire game.

  39. people want to see greatness, what is so surprising about that? we witnessed it last night in the pats.

  42. as a Steelers fan I know all too well that loosing hurts more than winning feels good…..that being said Congrats to BOTH teams on an awesome game….if my steelers had been playing last night I would be dead right now from multiple heart attacks…I’m almost glad we weren’t in it this year…..ALL NFL fans are the best!!!

  45. You know? I’m getting a bit worried. We haven’t heard much from Region of Gloom fans. I hope they’re ok.

    HAHA Suckers! Sucks being a Seasterisk fan.

  47. fans of seattle are more upset than the players and coaches, most of whom are millionaires and have already forgotten the game.

    except for wilson doubtful he will ever forget

  48. After his Patriot bashing all pregame in my top 5 moments was Kurt Warner walking through all the Patriots players and handing them the trophy…..priceless!

  50. Cha Ching… the owners win again… Expect the rates to double next season …

    That was the greatest football game I have ever experienced … unbelievable … That game had everything.

    A note to the Seahawk fans… Some advice from a Patriots fan… I know if hurts right now… and trust me Patriots nation knows exactly what you are feeling… It takes about six months to pass… but it will pass… it will pass… renew your season tickets by June you will be ready for next season.

    Great game!!!

  51. Not my kind of music, but halftime was decent until the garbage men clan got their turn. I guess I’m too old to think that rap is anything but crap.
    Worst superbowl commercials ever! Did anyone have real legs in any of them? Every time I looked up….somebody was running by on metal legs!
    I think that for an upcoming superbowl, they should play outdoors, in snow. I think all tickets should be given away for free to working class folks that are found in bars around the country watching football. I think that all of the TV commercial spots should be given, for free, to small mom and pop businesses around the country. The halftime show should be an unplugged Tom Waits set. All beer served at the game should be home brews, and should be voted on at halftime to pick the best one.
    The sideline reporter should be an old, Polish wash woman, dressed in gray, who spits and curses, and knows a lot about football, (perhaps an old Steelers fan from the 70’s).
    Won’t happen, but wouldn’t it be awesome?

  52. How do they know how many people watched? If there was a record set, the added interest was people hoping Seattle would lose the game. Their coach is arrogant, their players are arrogant and their fans are even more arrogant. I am more jacked up that Seattle lost than if my team had played in it and won. I was celebrating the loss without even giving a thought about who won the game.

  54. EVERYONE CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THE NEW WORLD CHAMPS. EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT THEM. EVERYONE THINKS ABOUT THEM EVERY DAY AT EVERY HOUR. EVERYONE WANTS MORE PATRIOTS. THE PATRIOTS LEAD OFF NEWSCASTS. THEY GET ON SNL. EVEN INTERNATIONALLY THEY GET ON NEWSCASTS AND PEOPLE FALL ALL OVER THEMSELVES TO GET MORE AND MORE PATRIOTS. THEY INSPIRE PASSION AND DEBATE. PEOPLE JUST CAN’T HELP THEMSELVES. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PATRIOTS… NATURALLY.

    SO IT’S ONLY LOGICAL TO CONCLUDE THAT YOUR NEW SUPER BOWL CHAMPION PATRIOTS RULE THE WORLD. DISCUSS.

  56. This is a headline every Monday morning after each Super Bowl. More people buy tvs each year, more people have parties… The Super Bowl is truly becoming it’s own Holiday. The ratings don’t speak to who played, necessarily, it just plays to the amount of new tvs consumers buy each year. Every SB posts “record” viewers… It’s just the trend.

  59. RomoIsGod says: Feb 2, 2015 9:19 AM

    While this is certainly good news for football, it’s kind of a double edged sword. Those in charge, like Goodell, will see this as a $ign that what they are doing to the game via rule changes are actually a good thing. Which they obviously are, for ratings purposes. That being said, sooner or later those of us who enjoy the game for the game will stop watching becuase it isn’t the same anymore. Goodell will then have built up the popularity and destroyed it all at the same time.
    ************************************************
    I agree, it seems to me that the NFL jumped the shark this year, meaning higher ratings now, but declining going forward.

    We’ll see.

  61. Lol. Seattle news reporting there was a bandwagon floating in Lake Washington this morning. Can we all now go back to forgetting where the Pacific Northwest is?

  62. I guess the image of the guy faking the poop-ball during the most watched program in the history of television will become emblematic of the manner in which they ended their season. How fitting.

  63. Great game! I couldn’t care less about the commercials and halftime show (that’s what a DVR is for – to FF through all that nonsense).

    As much as people want to criticize Caroll for the goal line call, it took a phenomenal play by Butler to end the game. If he hadn’t recognized the route (was Wilson staring down the receiver?) and jumped it, it would’ve been a TD and everyone would’ve been praising the “gutsy call”. Oh well. That’s why they play the games, and many things often seem like a forgone conclusion, and yet turn out different than we expect. (like the Seattle comback against GB).

    I also want to add that the game was officiated well, other than a missed call on the Seattle penalty for “running into” the punter, should’ve been roughing for 15 yards.

  64. Warner looked like he was being tortured carrying the trophy that he was delivering to the stage for presentation to the Patriots. Must have had some crow feathers stuck in his throat after what he’d been saying about the Patriots for the past few weeks!

  65. As a Cards fan who lives in Phoenix and has been up close and personal the last two weeks with all the events and players from both teams, I came away with a new found respect for the Seahawks players who were humorist and personal and respectful of their opponents, the complete opposite of the image the media likes to hype. The Patriots were good but not as accessible or personable and their interviews and responses to question seemed scripted, which, in a way was excusable in light of the fact that they were consistently being assaulted over the “deflategate” storyline the media was trying to make more of than the game. It was a great game between two amazing teams but I don’t think the NFL was ready for the Seahawks to repeat back-to-back and benefitted from a Pats win to continue the intrigue of the continuing soap opera that real football fans are already sick and see it for the obvious cash grab that it is. In addition, a loss by the Seahawks sets the stage for a new chapter for this soap opera as the sage continues…
    Being a Cards fan, I know only too well how it feels to have a SB victory snatched away in the remaining seconds or the game and applaud the Seahawks for delivering a magnificient game. On to next year, I’m done with all the extraneous drama that defines the NFL!
    Great job done by the SB committee and congratulations to Larry Fitzgerald on his winning the Art Rooney award…which is what football is really about, competing with class, winning/ losing with grace, having the respect of your peers and being a credit to the game!

  67. It was a great game…Seattle gave the Pats all they could handle. But-what do people expect from the Pats fans after all the crap that was heaped on our team for two solid weeks???? It was nice to see Kurt Warner have to be the one to walk through the entire team with that trophy just a couple of days after he trashed them on NFL Network. Same goes for Harbaugh and especially Roger Goodell. Great to see him squirm. I’m VERY proud to be a Patriots fan! Thearned this and they deserve it!

  68. OK The Seachickens acted like some immature children once then knew they were going to loose, Not like my PACKERS we are the true Super Bowl Champions this super bowl should have been the Packers and Colts this was a sham GO PACK GO!!!!

  69. There was one critical bad call/no call.

    The Hawks needed to answer the Pats TD to open the 4th Q and on first down there was a clear INT call miss when the defender grabbed the receiver’s ankle. Good play by the defender tho because if the receivers get it, he’d have gotten a lot m0re yards than the spot foul.

    One thing I’m glad I missed. Lynch scoring the winning TD and having to put up with that idiot after the game.

  70. Packers and the Colts? Ratings nosedive…….

    I was looking closely last night–didn’t see any Packers holding the Lombardi Trophy.

  72. Jeez seattle. Did you not watch the Giants Super Bowls against them?? Run the ball and they’ll let your RB sit down in the end zone like Bradshaw.

    Still, I’m glad NE won. It’s nice to be the ONLY team that could talk smack to their fans no matter how many they win.

  74. “cboys4life2014 says:Feb 2, 2015 10:25 AM

    The stadium lot attendant would like to know if somebody is going to come move the abandoned Seattle bandwagon or if he should have it towed”

    This is one of the funniest things I have read on this site. Take a bow.

  76. Cris Collinsworth ruined the game. Filling dead air with deflategate is like listening to passenger on a long haul flight talk about his hemorrhoids.
    I generally enjoy his commentary on games…I even look forward to it on Sunday Nights, but he laid an egg last night. Almost as painful as a Seahawks fan watching Wilson throwing a pick with seconds left. Thankfully, I am not a Hawks fan when the Pats are playing them.

  77. WHEN THE PATRIOTS WIN, AMERICA WINS.

    AS AMERICANS LET US ALL CELEBRATE THE VICTORY OF GREATEST FRANCHISE IN THE HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE.

  80. The ratings numbers are skewed and will likely go up every year. They count TVs rather than people. Every sports bar in the USA has 10+ TVs and at least 95% were tuned to the game and all are counted individually by the cable/satellite TV companies. Several SB parties had people who also had a dvr recording the game at their own homes. Over the air reception cannot be counted. There really is no way to get an accurate count of how many people watch a sporting event. The numbers are only used to negotiate TV contracts and advert costs or justify things that really had no effect.

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