The Philadelphia Eagles' exciting upset win over the New England Patriots drew a 47.4 ratings and 70% share in overnight ratings, down 3% from a year ago.
Though down, the ratings were better than the double-digit declines NFL games experienced during the regular season and playoffs, and the Super Bowl remains by a wide margin the most watched event on television.
Last year’s game drew a 48.8/72 overnight rating.
The overnight ratings are preliminary. Nielsen will deliver other numbers later in the day, including how many people tuned in.
This is Us, which followed the game, averaged a 16.2 ratings in metered markets, making it the top-rated post-Super Bowl entertainment telecast in six years, according to NBC.
NBC noted that Super Bowl's overnight ratings do not include digital viewing.
Viewership for the game peaked during the fourth quarter at 10 p.m.-10:15 p.m. ET with a 52.2 rating and 74 share.
During halftime, when Justin Timberlake performed, the ratings were a 48.1/70.
NBC said the rating was up 9% from the previous Eagles-Patriots Super Bowl in 2005.
The overnight ratings for Sunday night’s game ranks night among all Super Bowls in terms of overnight ratings and is third best among the 19 Super Bowls NBC has televised.
Among the metered markets, the Super Bowl had its highest ratings in Buffalo, where the game did a 56.4 rating and 78 share.
Philadelphia had the second highest rating at 56.2/81, and Boston, home of the Patriots, was third 55.9/81. Minneapolis, where the game was played, came in fourth with a 54.9/82.
The ratings for This is Us were a record for NBC’s hit, 80% higher than the show’s previous high, which came with the Season 1 finale last March.
The drama’s ratings were up 59% from last year, when Fox aired 24: Legacy after the championship game.
