Feb 2 2009 05:49 PM ET

Ratings: Super Bowl strong, but doesn't top last year

Categories: TV Ratings

Super Bowl XLIII delivered just as much drama as last year’s matchup, but not quite as many viewers. Sunday’s Pittsburgh Steelers victory over the Arizona Cardinals turned in a 42.1 rating for NBC, according to early Nielsen estimates — that’s about 6 percent down from last year’s outing on Fox, when the New York Giants pulled off a final-seconds upset of the New England Patriots. (Because the event is live, final tallies of the number of total viewers aren’t available yet.) But it’s still a solid performance in line with the previous three years — and NBC can use any solid performance it can find these days, especially with numbers this big.

Comments (1-7) of 7 Add your comment

  • krayzeman

    I hate the Steelers…

  • chris

    i wonder what the numbers are for the office. such a lame episode. they should have put an episode of er on instead.

  • pat kenn

    krayzeman is gay GO STEELERS!

  • It’s all about demos

    NY and Boston last year…huge population.
    Pixburgh and ‘Zona this year…not huge population.
    The difference is in the huge.

  • Anonymous

    2 years (3 Super Bowls) ago – Indy/Chicago – not huge populations, but still one of the highest rated Super Bowls. Your theory doesn’t work.

  • ok but

    ummmmm Chicago is huge! Some population estimates put it ahead of Los Angeles as the 2nd biggest city next to New York. Others have it third, so his theory does still kind of work.

  • Diane

    New England was the first and only undefeated team since the ‘72 Dolphins. It was also one of the most hated teams in the NFL and had been accused of cheating earlier in the season. I suspect that is why the ratings were higher than usual.

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