The final numbers have landed for the Rams-Bengals Super Bowl. They are massive.
The total audience averaged 112.3 million people, with a total reach of 167 million. Of the average audience, 11.2 million watched on Peacock, accounting for nearly 10 percent of the total audience.
It made Super Bowl LVI the most-watched TV show in five years, since New England’s 28-3 turnaround in Super Bowl LI.
Cincinnati was the top metered market, followed not by L.A. but by Detroit, where Lions fans were living vicariously through their former starting quarterback, Matthew Stafford. Third on the list was Pittsburgh, followed by Columbus, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Boston, Philly, and Jacksonville. Los Angeles didn’t crack the top 10; not a surprise given that the number is driven by total TVs in the market. In Los Angeles, there are many more total TVs.
The Super Bowl always will generate huge numbers. The biggest numbers come not from the best matchup but the best game. And it ultimately was a close, exciting game.