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.