Giants-Pats Most Watched Super Bowl

[James]

From the Dallas Morning News:


Giants-Patriots the most watched Super Bowl


Sunday's Game Knocks Super Bowl XXX to second most watched


The Giants' thrilling last-minute, come from-behind victory over the previously undefeated Patriots was the most watched Super Bowl ever. It averaged 97.5 million viewers throughout the game, according to Nielsen Media Research.


That places it No. 2 on the list of the most watched shows in American television history. The final episode of MASH, broadcast in 1983, remains at the top of the list with 106 million viewers.


As for the total number of viewers who tuned into at least part of the game, Nielsen said that reached 148.3 mllion individuals. That's a record, surpassing the mark of 144.4 million for Super Bowl 28, a Patriots victory over the Panthers.


The overnight rating for the Giants-Patriots was a 44.7 with a 66 share. That means 44.7 percent of all the homes with televisions across the country tuned into the game and 66 percent of all televisions turned on were tuned in. It was the best overnight rating for a Super Bowl since Super Bowl 21, which featured a Giants victory over Denver that scored a 47.9 with a 68 share. (excerpted)

 

[sport historian]

Note that the previous best overnight rating for a Super Bowl featured a NY Giant victory. Going back to the late 1950's, the NY Giants have drawn higher ratings than anybody when in a championship game. The large New York-New Jersey market helps account for it. This game even had a New York-Boston flavor which helped make for a large audience.

Years ago, I read that even in the late 1960's, when the Giants were down and the Jets were a Super Bowl team, the Giants would outdraw the Jets during the regular season. Yes, the mediocre Giant teams would have better TV ratings than Joe Namath's Jets. The New York Giants football team really caught on in New York City fifty years ago. In the down years, people would hold on to their season tickets for when the team became winners again.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

I must admit I didn't watch any of it on TV, but I did watch about a quarter of it on the net. I listened to the rest on the radio, with Marv Albert and Boomer Esiason at the mics.

 

[Guest]

Just more evidence that MapleLeaf has no idea what he is talking about.