Super Bowl Viewership Hits All-Time High with 126M U.S. Fans Tuning In
The Super Bowl has always been the biggest event on American television, but this year’s game took things to another level. Fox Sports estimates that 126 million viewers across TV and streaming platforms tuned in to watch the Philadelphia Eagles crush the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 on Sunday night. If these numbers hold, it would make this the most-watched Super Bowl in history.
The game aired on Fox, Fox Deportes, and Telemundo, and for those watching online, it was streamed on Tubi and the NFL’s digital platforms. The convenience of streaming made it even easier for fans to catch the action, no matter where they were.
Breaking Last Year’s Record
If the final numbers confirm what Fox is projecting, this would be the second year in a row that the Super Bowl set an all-time viewership record. Last year’s matchup between the Chiefs and 49ers drew 123.7 million viewers, which was already a new high at the time.
What makes this even more impressive is that the audience for this year’s game peaked at 135.7 million in the second quarter. That means, at its most-watched moment, nearly half of the U.S. population was tuned in.
Streaming Takes a Bigger Piece of the Pie
One of the biggest reasons for the boost in numbers? Streaming. More people than ever are ditching traditional cable in favor of watching online, and the Super Bowl is no exception.
14.5 million viewers watched the game through streaming platforms, and Tubi alone accounted for 13.6 million of them. That’s a massive number, and it shows how quickly people are shifting from TV to digital platforms.
Another reason for the jump in viewership is a change in how audiences are counted. For the first time, Nielsen included out-of-home viewers from all 50 states (except Hawaii and Alaska), instead of just the top 44 media markets. This means more bars, restaurants, and smaller towns were included in the count, making the final numbers more accurate.
Game Over by Halftime?
While past Super Bowls have been filled with dramatic finishes, this year’s game wasn’t nearly as competitive. By the time the Eagles went up 24-0 before halftime, the game felt all but decided.
Jalen Hurts led the Eagles’ offense with precision, while their defense completely shut down Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the first half. Kansas City tried to claw back in the second half, but the hole was simply too deep. After two straight years of heart-stopping Super Bowl finishes, this one felt a little anticlimactic.
Trump, Swift, and the Super Bowl Spectacle
Of course, the Super Bowl isn’t just about football—it’s also a massive pop culture event. This year, two of the biggest names in the country were in attendance: former President Donald Trump and global pop star Taylor Swift.
Trump made history as the first sitting or former U.S. president to attend a Super Bowl in person, drawing plenty of attention from both supporters and critics.
Swift, meanwhile, continues to be a major talking point for the NFL due to her relationship with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Her presence in the stands only fueled more buzz around the game, especially among fans who might not normally watch football.
It’s hard to ignore the Taylor Swift effect—the NFL has been getting a boost in viewership every time she shows up at a game, with some Swifties even tuning in just to catch a glimpse of her.
Super Bowl Ratings Rebound After Slump
A few years ago, some experts worried that Super Bowl ratings were in trouble. With more people cutting cable and watching on-demand shows instead, TV numbers were slipping. The 2021 Super Bowl, for example, had only 95.2 million TV viewers, the lowest since 2007.
But the NFL has adapted. By making the game easier to access across streaming platforms and updating how ratings are measured, they’ve turned things around.
Now, the past three Super Bowls have all surpassed 100 million viewers, proving that football is still America’s favorite sport.
Source: Fox projects Super Bowl averaged record 126M U.S. viewers
The NFL’s Overall Viewership Picture
While the Super Bowl is hitting new highs, NFL playoff ratings actually dipped this year. The first three weekends of the playoffs averaged 35.2 million viewers, down 9% from last year’s record of 38.5 million.
Even during the regular season, the numbers weren’t quite as strong as in previous years. The average NFL game had 17.5 million viewers, which is still high historically but down 2% from last season.
There’s no major cause for concern yet, but it does show that the NFL is facing more competition for people’s attention than ever before. Between streaming services, social media, and other entertainment options, keeping fans engaged is becoming more challenging.
Super Bowl Ads: Still a Big Deal
Even with the rise of streaming, Super Bowl commercials remain a major attraction. Advertisers shelled out an eye-watering $7 million for just 30 seconds of airtime during the game, knowing that millions of people would be watching.
This year’s commercials included celebrity-packed ads, nostalgic throwbacks, and innovative marketing campaigns that got people talking online.
One advantage of streaming is that advertisers can now target viewers more directly based on their watching habits. Expect even more interactive and personalized ads in the future as brands try to make the most of their Super Bowl investment.
Looking Ahead to Next Year
Even though this season just wrapped up, betting odds for next year’s Super Bowl are already out. Right now, the Chiefs and Ravens are early favorites to win it all in 2026, but the Eagles remain close behind.
With the NFL constantly evolving, it’ll be interesting to see how next year’s Super Bowl shapes up. One thing is for sure—football isn’t going anywhere, and the Super Bowl will likely continue breaking records for years to come.
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