According to Nielsen estimates on Tuesday, the Kansas City Chiefs’ overtime Super Bowl victory over the San Francisco 49ers, with Taylor Swift in the stands cheering, drew a record 123.7 million viewers in the United States. This marked a significant milestone in viewership for the event.
According to Nielsen data, it marked the largest U.S. audience for any event since the first astronauts walked on the moon in 1969. Additionally, it stands as the largest viewership in the Super Bowl’s 58-year history.
On Sunday, the National Football League championship averaged 120.3 million viewers on CBS (PARA.O), exceeding last year’s Super Bowl audience of 115.1 million, as reported by Nielsen. This indicates a notable increase in viewership for this year’s event.
Viewership extended beyond CBS, with additional audiences tuning in on Nickelodeon channels for kids, Univision’s Spanish-language broadcast, and streaming services like Paramount+ and NFL+. The overall audience figure encompasses those who viewed the game in bars and restaurants.
CBS reported a slightly smaller audience of 123.4 million on Monday, citing preliminary data.
In contrast, on July 20, 1969, an estimated 125 million to 140 million people witnessed US astronauts taking their first steps on the moon. The event was broadcast on three networks, the only television channels available at that time.
R&B superstar Usher performed at halftime during Sunday’s game, along with Alicia Keys, H.E.R., will.i.am, Lil Jon, and Ludacris.
Swift, currently dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, celebrated and chugged a drink from a suite at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. She was also seen biting her nails during tense moments.
“There were several factors driving unprecedented buzz for the big game, from record-breaking ad spend to the Taylor Swift effect,” said Ashwin Navin, co-founder and CEO of Samba TV, a data and measurement firm that estimated the game was watched by 39 million people.
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