Sunday’s Super Bowl was the most watched television broadcast in the US since the Moon landings in 1969, according to preliminary ratings – with Taylor Swift’s appearance a possible factor in this.
The initial figures say that 123.4 million people in the US watched the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the San Fransisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime to retain their crown and take their third win in five years.
That number is just behind the 1969 Moon landings, which was estimated to have 125-150 million people tuning in to see the historic moment when Neil Armstrong walked on the surface of the Moon.
While the Super Bowl is often the most watched TV show of the year in the US – last year’s Super Bowl between the Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles had 115.1 million tuning in – this year was significantly higher and is especially noteworthy given the wealth of choice in viewing today thanks to the rise of streaming services.
In the days before the Super Bowl there were plenty of column inches devoted to Swift’s presence at the event to watch her boyfriend, Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce – and how she would make it over from Japan, where she is currently on tour, to Las Vegas where the Super Bowl was held, in time.
While it is difficult to say how much Swift’s appearance affected viewing figures, research firm Numerator found that in a poll, 20% of Super Bowl viewers were supporting the Chiefs due to her relationship with Kelce.
Overall, 202.4 million people tuned into watch at least some of the game, according to media analysts Neilsen – another record. Most people watched the game on CBS, with others viewing the game on Paramount+, Nickelodeon, CBS Sports and NFL digital channels.
While Swift may have had an influence on the record viewing figures, there could be a more prosaic reason for the new high. Nielsen has changed how it makes the count this year using a different method for how it records the number of people watching in bars, or round at family or friends’ houses.
