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Super Bowl 44 Most-Watched TV Show of All Time

SUPER BOWL XLIV

 

MOST-WATCHED TV SHOW


OF ALL TIME

 

153.4 MILLION TOTAL VIEWERS

 

AVERAGE VIEWERSHIP TOPS M*A*S*H FINALE

 

 

The 2009 NFL season concluded with another record as Super Bowl XLIV reached a total audience of 153.4 million viewers, making it the most-watched show in U.S. television history according to Nielsen Media Research.  The Colts-Saints championship game topped the previous mark of 151.6 million total viewers set last year (Cardinals-Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII). Super Bowls account for the 19 most-watched programs in history in terms of total audience.

 

Most-Watched TV Programs, Total Viewers

 

Game 

Total Viewers

Super Bowl XLIV (Colts-Saints), 2/7/10  

153.4 million

Super Bowl XLIII (Cardinals-Steelers), 2/1/09         

151.6 million

Super Bowl XLII (Giants-Patriots), 2/3/08

148.3 million

Super Bowl XXXVIII (Patriots-Panthers), 2/1/04

144.4 million

Super Bowl XL (Steelers-Seahawks), 2/5/06

141.4 million

                             Source: NFL, Nielsen Media Research 

 

 

In addition, a record average of 106.5 million viewers watched Super Bowl XLIV – topping the previous mark of 106 million for the series finale of M*A*S*H in 1983 and an eight percent increase over last year’s Super Bowl (98.7 million viewers).

                                                                                 

Super Bowl XLIV earned a 45.0 household rating marking the highest-rated Super Bowl in 14 years (46.0 rating for Cowboys-Steelers in Super Bowl XXX, January 1996) and a seven percent increase over last year’s 42.0.