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Super Bowl LVII the most watched Super Bowl of all time

The Super Bowl showdown on Feb. 11 featuring the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers drew an average audience of 123.4 million viewers, marking the highest viewership for a single broadcast in television history.

Las Vegas Nevada, USA, February 8, 2024, R&B Artist Usher enters the stage during the 2024 Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show Press Conference at the Mandalay Bay Resort (Photo Credit: Marty Jean-Louis)

Of these viewers, 112 million tuned in to the CBS broadcast, setting a new record for a single network. Additional viewership was distributed across Paramount+, Nickelodeon, Univision, CBS Sports, and NFL digital properties, including NFL+. Paramount Global reported unprecedented viewership on Paramount+, making it the most-streamed Super Bowl to date, although precise streaming figures were not disclosed.

Previously, the most-watched telecast was the Super Bowl matchup between the Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles last year. Initially ranked third behind the 2015 and 2017 Super Bowls, a Nielsen correction elevated last year’s viewership to a record-breaking 115.1 million, which Sunday’s game surpassed by 7%.

Combined data from Nielsen and Adobe Analytics revealed that an average of 202.4 million viewers tuned in at any given moment during the game, a 10% increase from the previous year’s 184 million.

The game unfolded at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., with kickoff at 3:30 p.m. PT/6:30 p.m. ET, preceded by a half-hour entertainment segment featuring Reba McEntire’s rendition of the National Anthem. Usher headlined the halftime show, joined by Alicia Keys, H.E.R., Will.i.am, Lil John, Ludacris, and Jermaine Dupri.

As customary, the Super Bowl showcased a multitude of star-studded advertisements. Noteworthy among them was a Verizon spot featuring BeyoncĂ© and Tony Hale, where BeyoncĂ© unveiled “Renaissance Act II,” her upcoming country album set for release on March 29.

Beyond the football action, music performances, and commercials, the presence of Taylor Swift added to the allure. Speculation surrounding Swift’s relationship with Chiefs player Travis Kelce and her attendance at his games generated media frenzy. Although data from consumer research firm Numerator suggested Swift’s influence on Super Bowl viewership, the impact remains ambiguous. Nonetheless, Swift’s appearance alongside Blake Lively and Ice Spice, culminating in a celebratory kiss with Kelce after the Chiefs’ victory, captivated legions of fans.

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