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FC/OT: Super Bowl LII TV Ratings - Worst since 2009....

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People just tired of the Patriots? Or not interested in the Eagles? Or Timberlake?

I ended up watching and thought it was a fantastic game.

UPDATE, 1:13 PM: As late as it went and as rowdy as it got, the City of Brotherly Love made pretty swift progress this morning picking up the debris of last night’s victory celebrations for the Philadelphia Eagles’ first Super Bowl win ever.

The official parade in Philly for the 41-33 triumph over the New England Patriots isn’t until February 8 but there is certainly one element of Super Bowl LII that wasn’t champion – the ratings

With 103.4 million watching, last night’s game on NBC from Minneapolis is down 7% from the total set of network eyeballs from the 2017 Super Bowl. A steeper fall than even the declining the stock market today, that’s the worst the Super Bowl has done since 2009 when the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-23 defeat of the Arizona Cardinals scored 98.7 million viewers.

Last night’s Super Bowl is now pegged as the 10th most watch program in American TV history just after the M.A.S.H. finale of February 1983. Staying Top 10 must feel good and sting at the same time for NBC as the most watched program in U.S. television history is the 114.4 million who watched the 2015 Super Bowl – which was the last time the net had the big game.

Adding another 2.6 million viewers via NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app, NBC.com TV Everywhere, Universo, En Vivo app, NFL.com, NFL Mobile from Verizon, the Yahoo Sports app, and go90, the Comcast-owned network says its absolute total viewership of 106 million.

In an age of increasing streaming options and coming off a NFL season that was dogged by controversy and double digit ratings drops, the broadcast viewership decline from the Patriots’ win last year in Houston on Fox is really no surprise. Earlier today, metered market results for the 6:31 – 10:25 PM ET game were down 3% from the 2017 big game to an eight-year low for the Super Bowl.

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Stumble was also the takeaway from Justin Timberlake’s halftime show of Super Bowl LII. The return of the Grammy winning singer to the big game stage for the first time in 14-years was a series of misfires and banalities almost from start to finish with a misjudged Prince tribute of sorts in the middle. Lacking a showstopper moment anything like what the Purple One did for his entire 2007 Super Bowl halftime show or the Nipplegate wardrobe malfunction that plagued Janet Jackson onstage with Timberlake back in 2004, the Trolls star snared 106.6 million viewers in his 14-minute performance that started at 8:19 PM ET last night.

Slotted in the 8:15 – 8:30 PM ET period by NBC, Timberlake is down 9% from how Lady Gaga did for her 13-minute Super Bowl halftime show last year. It wasn’t near the best, but Gaga’s pretty conservative performance was the second most watched halftime show ever. The most watched Super Bowl halftime show is Katy Perry’s shark-filled 2015 performance at Super Bowl XLIX with its total TV audience of 120.7 million.

After the game, NBC’s airing of a Super Bowl themed episode of This Is Us was a big success for the net and the Dan Fogelman-created show.

Whipping up to 27.0 million viewers with its revelations of a parental death, the 10:45 – 11:49 PM ET This Is Us hit a series viewership high. The 14th episode of the show’s second season was also the most viewed scripted show for NBC since the May 6, 2004 ER that followed the Friends finale. Up 53% over the debut of 24: Legacy on Fox after Super Bowl LI last year, last night’s This Is Us is additionally the most watched drama on any of the Big 4 since the 29.1 million who clicked on the February 3, 2008 episode of House that followed Super Bowl XLII on Fox.

So, as we whip almost straight into the start of the Winter Olympics later this week and then the Oscars and then … well, you get it. Let’s wait to see who is on the field next year for Super Bowl LIII at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

PREVIOUSLY, 6:38 AM: As emotional as NBC’s This Is Us was last night, it couldn’t lay a historical glove on the relentless drama of Super Bowl LII, as the Philadelphia Eagles beat the skeptics and the New England Patriots to win their first Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Scoring a 41-33 victory over odds-on favorite Tom Brady and crew, the City of Brotherly Love’s win Sunday also prevented the defending champion Patriots from claiming a sixth Super Bowl to match the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most wins ever.

However, for the NFL and broadcasters pummeled with double-digit ratings drops this season, the number that really matters right now is the 47.4/70 in metered market ratings that yesterday’s Super Bowl delivered. Dipping by a slight 3% from the earliest numbers of last year’s Patriots’ 34-28 comeback victory over the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday’s game is looking to be the ninth highest-rated Super Bowl ever. With more streaming options than ever this year, last night’s game is up 9% in metered market results compared with when the Patriots and Eagles last clashed in the NFL title game, at Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005.

However, Sunday’s Super Bowl also saw a decline of 5% in metered market results from the last time NBC had the big game on February 1, 2015, when the Patriots faced off against then-champs the Seattle Seahawks. Overall, last night’s game peaked in the high-stakes fourth quarter with a 52.2/74.

All in all, Super Bowl LII is currently the lowest rated since Super Bowl XLIV in 2010, when the New Orleans Saints thrashed the Indianapolis Colts on CBS. That first Super Bowl appearance and win for the Saints garnered a 46.4 in metered market ratings.

Even before the results were in for last night’s game, another voice was added to the chorus of praise for the Eagles. While Donald Trump passed on the traditional Presidential sit-down with the Super Bowl-broadcasting network Sunday, Tom Brady’s pal did take to social media for a few words after all the hoopla had left the field at Minneapolis’ U.S. Bank Stadium:
 
It was one of the best football games I’ve ever watched. I don’t care for the NFL normally because of all the penalties but there weren’t all the pass interference calls you usually see - just a few defensive holding calls. My only criticism was that there were way too many commercials. One team scores - commercial - kick off - another commercial. It was relentless. I understand that this is where NBC gets all its income but I also understand it detracts from the game. Maybe ratings would be better if they had fewer, but it was probably due to the Patriots being there again, and that both teams were from the Northeast. Viewers in other parts of the country probably didn’t care to watch.
 
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FWIW, here was the viewership by half-hour (times EST). The "low" ratings in the first couple half-hours is normal and consistent with patterns in previous years - Mountain and Pacific Time Zone viewers aren't always watching the game from the beginning as the sun is still up out there:

6:31-7, 89.4 million
7-7:30, 98.5 million
7:30-8, 102.7 million
8-8:30, 106.4 million
8:30-9, 106.4 million
9-9:30, 106.5 million
9:30-10, 108.5 million
10-10:25, 109.2 million

At this point, you just have to admit that various people tuning out the NFL this year for whatever reasons (CTE, flag protests, lemmings who do whatever President Trump tells them to do) have had a significant impact.

If it weren't such a good game, this Super Bowl likely wouldn't have even averaged 100.0MM viewers. As it is, the numbers were WAY behind (-7%) the 43-8 blowout from 4 years ago (Seattle vs Denver). There were a few random markets (Memphis being one of them????) where ratings were down almost 20% year-over-year.
 
Last edited:
Nitwit said:
It was one of the best football games I’ve ever watched. I don’t care for the NFL normally because of all the penalties but there weren’t all the pass interference calls you usually see - just a few defensive holding calls. My only criticism was that there were way too many commercials. One team scores - commercial - kick off - another commercial. It was relentless. I understand that this is where NBC gets all its income but I also understand it detracts from the game. Maybe ratings would be better if they had fewer, but it was probably due to the Patriots being there again, and that both teams were from the Northeast. Viewers in other parts of the country probably didn’t care to watch.
Click to expand...

I thought the game itself was awesome.
I thought Al Michales was good but "let's make a controversy out of everything" Collinsworth sucked.
I thought the halftime show was lame at best, although I do like the idea of just one performer
instead of "lets try and get something for everyone" in the past.
I thought the Commercials were good, certainly better than the last few years.
All JMO.
I think you are correct though about both teams being from the Northeast.
If you were to throw in a Dallas or Giants ratings would have been higher.
 
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Is this due to sustain for Cheaters or distant for all things Philadelphia, or a combination of both?
 
BBrown said:
I thought the game itself was awesome.
I thought Al Michales was good but "let's make a controversy out of everything" Collinsworth sucked.
I thought the halftime show was lame at best, although I do like the idea of just one performer
instead of "lets try and get something for everyone" in the past.
I thought the Commercials were good, certainly better than the last few years.
All JMO.
I think you are correct though about both teams being from the Northeast.
If you were to throw in a Dallas or Giants ratings would have been higher.
Click to expand...

For a couple of reasons, that was probably the most I cared about a super bowl that didn't involve my team, and the game didn't disappoint. Awesome game.

I'm not sure what was the problem with the halftime show though. Reading the OP, it sounds like there is some kind of consensus that it disappointed? It didn't blow me out of the water or anything, but I thought it was quite entertaining -- As did everyone else with which I was watching the game.
 
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I'm surprised so many people thought it was a great game. The defense was pathetic on both sides for much of the game. It was "exciting" but not great football. Kind of like watching the Big XII or Pac XII
 
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Hard to stop either offense. Eagles D has been great all year. But the Patriots have so many weapons. Many of Brady’s and Foles’ throws were absolutely perfect.
 
78SweetRevenge said:
I'm surprised so many people thought it was a great game. The defense was pathetic on both sides for much of the game. It was "exciting" but not great football. Kind of like watching the Big XII or Pac XII
Click to expand...

Speaking for myself, it's the super bowl and my team's not playing. In that particular case, to me, "exciting game" = "great game."
 
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ChiTownLion said:
Crazy to think Penn State vs Miami in the Fiesta drew 70,000,000 viewers.
Click to expand...

That 70MM number --- I know that number has been published a few times but I think it's wrong.

The Fiesta Bowl had a 25.1 rating.

The Super Bowl a few weeks later (NYG over Denver) had a 45.8 rating and 87.19MM viewers.

I know that Nielsen ratings and viewership aren't perfectly linearly related --- but if the Fiesta Bowl had 70.0MM viewers the numbers wouldn't even be close to linear. Something seems off.

http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/super-bowl-ratings-historical-viewership-chart-cbs-nbc-fox-abc/

I've seen the 2006 Rose Bowl between Texas & USC referenced as being among college football's most watched games. For reference, that had a 21.7 rating and 35.6MM viewers.
 
BoulderFish said:
Speaking for myself, it's the super bowl and my team's not playing. In that particular case, to me, "exciting game" = "great game."
Click to expand...

Fair enough...I still care about the quality of the game. As much as people hated Georgia-Bama happening I thought that was a MUCH better display of football than NE-Philadelphia. Happy with the result though
 
michnittlion said:
That 70MM number --- I know that number has been published a few times but I think it's wrong.

The Fiesta Bowl had a 25.1 rating.

The Super Bowl a few weeks later (NYG over Denver) had a 45.8 rating and 87.19MM viewers.

I know that Nielsen ratings and viewership aren't perfectly linearly related --- but if the Fiesta Bowl had 70.0MM viewers the numbers wouldn't even be close to linear. Something seems off.

http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/super-bowl-ratings-historical-viewership-chart-cbs-nbc-fox-abc/

I've seen the 2006 Rose Bowl between Texas & USC referenced as being among college football's most watched games. For reference, that had a 21.7 rating and 35.6MM viewers.
Click to expand...

Haha - I knew you wouldn't like Penn State fans celebrating that high number, and would offer up an attempt to discredit it (or cast doubt on it).

Your Michigan bias and insecurities run deep.
 
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BoulderFish said:
Haha - I knew you wouldn't like Penn State fans celebrating that high number, and would offer up an attempt to discredit it (or cast doubt on it).

Your Michigan bias and insecurities run deep.
Click to expand...

The 70M number was laughable...multiple people said as much. I don't believe anyone truly thinks 70M watched that game regardless of who they root for.
 
BoulderFish said:
Haha - I knew you wouldn't like Penn State fans celebrating that high number, and would offer up an attempt to discredit it (or cast doubt on it).

Your Michigan bias and insecurities run deep.
Click to expand...

The 1987 Fiesta Bowl is definitely one of the most watched college football games ever. The 70MM number is simply incorrect, however.

But fair enough. I know you aren't overly mathematically inclined .......
 
BoulderFish said:
Haha - I knew you wouldn't like Penn State fans celebrating that high number, and would offer up an attempt to discredit it (or cast doubt on it).

Your Michigan bias and insecurities run deep.
Click to expand...

Yep. And Art, I'm the smartest guy about everything and anything, just ask me, wasn't far behind.
 
78SweetRevenge said:
I'm surprised so many people thought it was a great game. The defense was pathetic on both sides for much of the game. It was "exciting" but not great football. Kind of like watching the Big XII or Pac XII
Click to expand...

I feel the same way but realize the board has a lot of Eagle fans, so yeah, in their view it would be a great game and I don't fault them for saying that.

I thought last years game had more drama given the "will they come back" angle. Like you said, this one felt like a Big XII flag football game.
 
michnittlion said:
The 1987 Fiesta Bowl is definitely one of the most watched college football games ever. The 70MM number is simply incorrect, however.

But fair enough. I know you aren't overly mathematically inclined .......
Click to expand...

I'm offering no comment regarding the number itself. The number itself is virtually irrelevant to the content of my post.
 
BoulderFish said:
Haha - I knew you wouldn't like Penn State fans celebrating that high number, and would offer up an attempt to discredit it (or cast doubt on it).

Your Michigan bias and insecurities run deep.
Click to expand...

The 2017 michigan-Tosu game had a zillion, bazillion, gazillion viewers. Fact.
 
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michnittlion said:
The 1987 Fiesta Bowl is definitely one of the most watched college football games ever. The 70MM number is simply incorrect, however.

But fair enough. I know you aren't overly mathematically inclined .......
Click to expand...

Not one of the most watch, Thee most watched.
 
michnittlion said:
Ah, so you posted simply to (yet again) label me a "Michigan Fan/Fake Penn State Fan."

Maybe this thread will be like the one below --- where you called me out then stopped all conversation once I chimed in.

https://bwi.forums.rivals.com/threads/has-michnittlion-stopped-by-lately-to.159480/

Carry on ...........
Click to expand...

You ARE a Michigan fan. You can't dispute that. And, I believe that you're a fan of Penn State's sports teams as well, since you went to school there.

I understand your state of mind RE Michigan and Penn State, because I have a similar relationship with Penn State and Maryland (where I went to grad school).

As an alum, I support the institution of the University of Maryland (as you do Penn State), and support (as an alum/fan) the sports teams (as you do Penn State). But Penn State is far and away my #1 (as Michigan is to you), and because of the now relationship between Maryland and Penn State, when I'm with my Maryland crew, I don't like them to get to "up" in any regards where there is relativity with Penn State -- And that's exactly what you do here.

So, I get it.

There are two big differences between us (as it relates to this topic) though:
1) Since the delta (with regards to football) between Maryland and Penn State is much larger than the delta between Michigan and Penn State, it's easier for me to remain objective while with my Maryland people, and I do. You have a much more difficult task, and it causes you to lose your objectivity (i.e. your inability to properly apply a sanctions effect "discount" when trying to compare Harbaugh and Franklin 2+ years ago).
2) I don't have the time in my days to seek out these "opportunities" by spending time on Maryland message boards.
 
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BoulderFish said:
You ARE a Michigan fan. You can't dispute that. And, I believe that you're a fan of Penn State's sports teams as well, since you went to school there.

I understand your state of mind RE Michigan and Penn State, because I have a similar relationship with Penn State and Maryland (where I went to grad school).

As an alum, I support the institution of the University of Maryland (as you do Penn State), and support (as an alum/fan) the sports teams (as you do Penn State). But Penn State is far and away my #1 (as Michigan is to you), and because of the now relationship between Maryland and Penn State, when I'm with my Maryland crew, I don't like them to get to "up" in any regards where there is relativity with Penn State -- And that's exactly what you do here.

So, I get it.

There are two big differences between us (as it relates to this topic) though:
1) Since the delta (with regards to football) between Maryland and Penn State is much larger than the delta between Michigan and Penn State, it's easier for me to remain objective while with my Maryland people, and I do. You have a much more difficult task, and it causes you to lose your objectivity (i.e. your inability to properly apply a sanctions effect "discount" when trying to compare Harbaugh and Franklin 2+ years ago).
2) I don't have the time in my days to seek out these "opportunities" by spending time on Maryland message boards.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your (misinformed: you're WRONG on Michigan being by present-day #1) lecture.

Note that I never mentioned Michigan in this thread. All I did was provide some empirical #s as a reason why I don't believe that 70MM number. I guess that triggered your "time to call michnittlion out for growing up in Michigan and thus being a Michigan fan in his youth!" button. Fair enough.
 
So, the Super Bowl is down....however many points....in viewership.

Any idea what the NC game between UGA- Bama did?

I am curious if there is any correlation to the regional affect of both games. i.e. Two NE teams in SuperBowl, and 2 Southern Teams in NC game.
 
psuro said:
So, the Super Bowl is down....however many points....in viewership.

Any idea what the NC game between UGA- Bama did?

I am curious if there is any correlation to the regional affect of both games. i.e. Two NE teams in SuperBowl, and 2 Southern Teams in NC game.
Click to expand...

28.44MM viewers for Alabama/Georgia. 2nd most watched Championship game of the 4-team playoff era:

1. January 2015, Oregon v Ohio State, 33.4MM
2. January 2018, Alabama v Georgia, 28.4MM
3. January 2016, Alabama v Clemson, 26.7MM
4. January 2017, Alabama v Clemson, 26.0MM
 
BoulderFish said:
For a couple of reasons, that was probably the most I cared about a super bowl that didn't involve my team, and the game didn't disappoint. Awesome game.

I'm not sure what was the problem with the halftime show though. Reading the OP, it sounds like there is some kind of consensus that it disappointed? It didn't blow me out of the water or anything, but I thought it was quite entertaining -- As did everyone else with which I was watching the game.
Click to expand...
I, unfortunately missed the halftime show but was amused when I saw the bad reviews pouring in. I am a huge Prince and Timberlake fan. From what I understand:
  • Prince and Timberlake got into a little fight regarding "Bring Sexy Back". Prince was slightly critical (where did it go?) and Timberlake took offense.
  • Prince stated he was against the blended voice things, like nat king cole and natalie cole's unforgettable. Prince said that if you were meant to be alive in that era so be it. But if you are dead, let you be dead. So some considered it to be people disrespecting the Prince.
  • There was some thoughts that the first two go hand in hand. JT was taking the opportunity to take a shot at Prince. Although you have to consider that people that own Prince' copyrights were OK with it.
  • As I understand it, there were some audio glitches (as there were throughout the SB, even some bland screen, dead air time early on).
 
Obliviax said:
I, unfortunately missed the halftime show but was amused when I saw the bad reviews pouring in. I am a huge Prince and Timberlake fan. From what I understand:
  • Prince and Timberlake got into a little fight regarding "Bring Sexy Back". Prince was slightly critical (where did it go?) and Timberlake took offense.
  • Prince stated he was against the blended voice things, like nat king cole and natalie cole's unforgettable. Prince said that if you were meant to be alive in that era so be it. But if you are dead, let you be dead. So some considered it to be people disrespecting the Prince.
  • There was some thoughts that the first two go hand in hand. JT was taking the opportunity to take a shot at Prince. Although you have to consider that people that own Prince' copyrights were OK with it.
  • As I understand it, there were some audio glitches (as there were throughout the SB, even some bland screen, dead air time early on).
Click to expand...

Hmmm... I'm a big fan of Prince, and am always looking for a reason to dislike JT, but to date, my search has only caused me to like him.

I have no idea how on god's green earth his tribute to Prince could have been (reasonably) seen as disrespectful. I thought it was awesome in every way. I think people just like to cry and complain.
 
BoulderFish said:
Hmmm... I'm a big fan of Prince, and am always looking for a reason to dislike JT, but to date, my search has only caused me to like him.

I have no idea how on god's green earth his tribute to Prince could have been (reasonably) seen as disrespectful. I thought it was awesome in every way. I think people just like to cry and complain.
Click to expand...

well, from what I saw, it didn't match Lady Gaga's awesome performance last year (you always have to top last year's) or Prince's (which, since it was in Minny and a tribute, you have to do). You can read up on it here.
 
Multiple articles list the PSU-OSU Fiesta Bowl as the most watched college game ever with 70 million viewers. Many of those articles seem to quote facts provided by PSU. I also saw 52 million in a New York Times article.

http://blog.pennlive.com/fanbox/2011/06/penn_states_national_champions.html

http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/121517aaa.html

http://news.psu.edu/story/290238/20...ional-championship-team-featured-saturday-btn

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...at-halftime-of-Iowa-game/stories/201110060357

When talking about viewership, the numbers of TV sets in America today has increased astronomically since the Fiesta Bowl. I think its still a record.
 
I had a lot of reasons to be very excited about this one and only one reason ultimately that I did not watch it. But glad the Eagles won.
 
or said another way, Superbowl was the 10th most watch show of all time!!! Spin!!

At a time when TV viewership is down across the board, the Super Bowl still can draw a top-10 all-time audience.

Yes, by top-10 we mean No. 10, but that’s still a very strong performance for Eagles-Patriots, especially with NFL ratings and TV consumption down as a whole.

An average TV audience of 103.4 million watched the game, with another 2.02 million streaming the game via the NBC Sports app.

“With an all-time top-10 audience, the Super Bowl once again proved that it’s the most dominant and consistent property on television,” NBC Broadcasting & Sports Chairman Mark Lazarus said in a press release. “Super Bowl LII delivered for all of our partners, and provided us with the unique opportunity to give America a look ahead at the Olympic Winter Games, which begin live on NBC this Thursday night.”

The top-10 all-time TV programs consist almost exclusively of Super Bowls, with the M*A*S*H finale from 1983 coming in at No. 9.
 
Delco Lion said:
Multiple articles list the PSU-OSU Fiesta Bowl as the most watched college game ever with 70 million viewers. Many of those articles seem to quote facts provided by PSU. I also saw 52 million in a New York Times article.

http://blog.pennlive.com/fanbox/2011/06/penn_states_national_champions.html

http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/121517aaa.html

http://news.psu.edu/story/290238/20...ional-championship-team-featured-saturday-btn

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...at-halftime-of-Iowa-game/stories/201110060357

When talking about viewership, the numbers of TV sets in America today has increased astronomically since the Fiesta Bowl. I think its still a record.
Click to expand...
A number of publications have cited the 70 million viewers statistic, such as Sports Illustrated's game recap in 1986, NBC, The Fiesta Bowl, LA Times, etc.

https://www.google.com/search?q="Penn+State"+Miami+"70+million"&oq="Penn+State"+Miami+"70+million"&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i60l2.3340j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
 
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