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Buffalo among highest markets for Super Bowl viewers

by jmaloni
Mon, Feb 6th 2012 11:30 am

Super Bowl XLVI earns 47.8 overnight rating; 3rd highest Super Bowl overnight ever, less than one percent behind Super Bowls XLV and XXI (47.9)

Super Bowl XLVI in which the New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots 21-17, earned a 47.8/71 overnight rating/share last night on NBC, the third-highest overnight rating in Super Bowl history and less than one percent off the highest (47.9 for both Super Bowl XLV and Super Bowl XXI), according to overnight data released today by The Nielsen Company.

•The 47.8/71 is seven percent higher than Super Bowl XLII on Fox when the Giants defeated the Patriots 17-14.

•The overnight rating is 14 percent higher than the last Super Bowl on NBC (Super Bowl XLIII, Steelers 27, Cardinals 23) and higher than any of NBC's previous 11 Super Bowls in which there were metered markets.

•Tops all other Super Bowls involving the Giants and Patriots in Nielsen People Meter History (Since 1988).

"This confirms that the Super Bowl is the most dominant and consistent property on television," said Mark Lazarus, Chairman of NBC Sports Group. "We are fortunate, in our new agreement with the NFL, to be able to broadcast three more Super Bowls over the next nine years."

•The halftime performance by Madonna (8-8:30), earned a 48.1/72 overnight, one percent ahead of last year's 8-8:30 time period featuring the Black Eyed Peas (47.4/70) and 20 percent higher than NBC's last Super Bowl with Bruce Springsteen (40.2/62).

Top 5 Super Bowl overnights of all time:

T1. 47.9/71 - Super Bowl XLV, Packers 31-Steelers 25, Fox

T1. 47.9/68 - Super Bowl XXI, Giants 39-Broncos 20, CBS

3. 47.8/71 - Super Bowl XLVI, Giants 21-Patriots 17, NBC

4. 47.4/NA - Super Bowl XIV, Steelers 31-Rams 19, CBS

5. 46.9/70 - Super Bowl XX, Bears 46-Patriots 10, NBC

Top 10 metered markets for Super Bowl XLVI:

1. Boston, 56.7/81

2. Indianapolis, 56.4/79

3. Norfolk, 54.2/73

4. Columbus, 54.1/72

5. New Orleans, 54.0/72

T6. Nashville, 53.5/74

T6. Jacksonville, 53.5/70

8. Buffalo, 52.9/72

9. Kansas City, 52.1/73

10. Milwaukee, 52.0/73

*New York ranked 18th with a 49.7/74

When Fast National data is available from Nielsen this afternoon, the viewership could approach last year's 111.0 million that watched Super Bowl XLV, the most-watched Super Bowl ever, and the most-watched television audience in U.S. history.

*Note, the "fast affiliate" data that is available later this morning does NOT reflect live audience for the Super Bowl across the country.

*Overnight ratings measure the top 56 U.S. metered markets.

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