Tribune News Services
The Super Bowl was watched by more than 106 million people, surpassing the 1983 finale of "M-A-S-H" to become the most-watched program in television history.
The Nielsen Co. estimated Monday that 106.5 million people watched the New Orleans Saints upset the Indianapolis Colts. That beats the "M-A-S-H" finale, which had 105.97 million viewers in an era when there were fewer television sets.
Compelling story lines involving the city of New Orleans and its recovery from Hurricane Katrina and the quest for a second Super Bowl ring for Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning propelled the viewership.
The game also obliterated the previous record viewership for a Super Bowl -- last year's game between Arizona and Pittsburgh in which 98.7 million people watched.
The Super Bowl was watched by more than 106 million people, surpassing the 1983 finale of "M-A-S-H" to become the most-watched program in television history.
The Nielsen Co. estimated Monday that 106.5 million people watched the New Orleans Saints upset the Indianapolis Colts. That beats the "M-A-S-H" finale, which had 105.97 million viewers in an era when there were fewer television sets.
Compelling story lines involving the city of New Orleans and its recovery from Hurricane Katrina and the quest for a second Super Bowl ring for Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning propelled the viewership.
The game also obliterated the previous record viewership for a Super Bowl -- last year's game between Arizona and Pittsburgh in which 98.7 million people watched.
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You have to be kidding me. How could they possibly get an accurate count? Besides, this game between the Baltimore Colts (sponsored by Mayflower Moving) and the Chocolate City Katrinas was said to have of been of little interest to most of the country. Please don't tell me that people watched for the commercials.
Can someone please explain to me how they can possibly tell who is watching what show? I don't think there are 106 million Nielsen boxes in peoples homes.
Dear Derek J. Hanson,
Nobody cares.
The lede on this story should include the qualifier: "in the United States."
Heck, last year's European Soccer Championship was watched by about the same number of people world wide. And when the World Cup is broadcast next year from South Africa, billions will watch the final.
Duh!
Sure they had more viewers than M.A.S.H.
There are more people and TV's today than there were when M.A.S.H. had its final show.
So these figures do not really matter.
Give a percentage between the 2. I think that will give a better perspective.
Who cares!!! My boyfriend thinks the same with me. He- is eight years older than me, lol. We met online at- Agemingle @ c-o-m a nice and free place for Younger- Women and Older Men, or Older Women and Younger Men, to- interact with each other. Maybe you wanna check out or- tell your friends.
Heck, they just tuned in long enough to see the WHO!!
Numbers lie. More people watched the Super Bowl than M.A.S.H., but there are more people in the U.S. as well. in 1983, there were maybe 240 million and today there are 310 million.
Next, we will hear that Avatar earned more money that Titanic. yawn. It's called inflation.
C`Mon People Give Poor Ole Derek a Break ok?
He Clearly had 1 of 2 things happen to him.
1) He LOST a BUNDLE on the game
2) He thought he was good enough to play pro football but found out PEE WEE Football and a Nerf football game was all he could play and NOT TOO GOOD either.
To My favorite Checker player Derek. Someday youi`ll be able to yell "King Me" too. Hunker down and keep with with it you strong strapping 5 foot 1 inch 95 pound stud you.
Don't insult fags by associating them with that guy.
What a fag. ^^^
I am ashamed and embarrassed to be a member of the same species in which other members are so infatuated with such a violent, dangerous, and completely pointless activity like football! It would be bad enough to be an active participant, but then to read that 106.5 million people (if the Nielsen figures are accurate, which itself is a valid question) WATCHED other people engage in this ridiculous spectacle is nothing less than outrageously offensive. That's approximately one third of the entire population of the U.S.!!!
In fact, Nielsen estimates that about half of the viewers watch primarily for the commercials rather than for the football game itself (http://en-us.nielsen.com/main/news/news_releases/2010/january/most_super_bowl_viewers), and being that I perform some consulting services relating in part to the advertising industry, I am very interested in the viewership ratings and the creative and business aspects of the commercials. However, I NEVER watch them live, but rather online (like at Hulu.com), where I can watch ONLY the commercials back to back for my own personal and business interests.