clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Super Bowl XLVI Sets Viewership Record; Madonna's Halftime Show Most Watched Ever

More people watched the 2012 Super Bowl than any other show in American television history. Richard Deitsch of SI.com reports the total number of viewers from the New York Giants beating the New England Patriots was 111.3 million, which is up slightly from last year's number of 111 million.

This means that Super Bowl XLVI was the most watched program in American TV history.

The Vegas over/under on the number of viewers was 117 million so this is actually slightly lower than some expected. Despite that, it's incredible that so many people tune into one game.

Madonna's halftime show was viewed by an average of 114 million viewers, which makes it the most watched Super Bowl halftime show ever. The game itself peaked between 9:30-9:58 p.m. (ET) with an average of 117.7 million viewers.

The TV ratings were down slightly from last year but still in the top three highest ever.

For more on the Giants and their improbable run to become Super Bowl champions, visit Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York. For more on the Patriots and their Super Bowl appearance, check out SB Nation's Patriots blog, Pats Pulpit as well as SB Nation Boston. For news, recaps, videos, GIFs, and information regarding Super Bowl XLVI, please stay tuned to SB Nation's dedicated Super Bowl hub.

Sign up for the newsletter Sign up for the SB Nation Daily Roundup newsletter!

A daily roundup of all your sports news from SB Nation