Super Bowl LVIII Breaks Previous Records with 123.4 Million Viewers

The Super Bowl game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers that happened on Sunday amassed 123.4 million viewers according to CBS, making it the most-watched Super Bowl of all time.

The game aired on top networks such as CBS, NFL Network, Paramount+, Univision, NFL+, and ViX. There was also a broadcast for kids that aired on Nickelodeon.

CBS Sports' presentation of Super Bowl LVIII is the most-watched telecast in history with a total audience delivery of 123.4 million average viewers across platforms.

Link to Release: https://t.co/DHc9XPBwSn pic.twitter.com/GR3w2hbBwn

- CBS Sports PR (@CBSSportsGang) February 13, 2024

In its report, CBS News said it garnered the most viewers with 120 million. The total audience for this event was a 10% increase.

2024 Super Bowl Had 123.4 Million Viewers

The 2024 Super Bowl broke the previous record set last year of 115 million viewers. The audience behind the Super Bowl LVIII amassed so much viewership that it approached breaking the all-time most-watched television broadcast of the Apollo 11 moon landing had a viewership of between 125 million and 150 million viewers.

The 2024 Super Bowl comes on the back of a good season for the NFL. The NFL amassed massive viewership in the weeks leading up to its conclusion.

Several factors triggered the wide audience base for the event. The first is that the event entered an overtime quarter where the Chiefs scored a touchdown that won the game. The win came a few seconds before the game ended.

The appearance of Taylor Swift in the crowd also contributed to the increase in viewership. Swift has increased interest in the Kansas Chiefs amid her relationship with one of the team's players, Travis Kelce.

Swift's appearance in these games has attracted young audiences and female fans. Her presence has also aided the NFL in having a vast viewership base.

Swift's contributory role in a record-breaking NFL season was acknowledged by the Chief Executive of Paramount Global, Bob Bakish. While speaking with Bloomberg last week, the executive noted that she was without a doubt incremental to audience on the NFL."

Besides Swift, the NFL also continues to enjoy communal viewership experiences in the media industry. Viewership is currently fragmented, with streaming services taking over. The league and the Super Bowl remain among the few events in the US that can draw live audiences.

The appearance of celebrities during the event is also driving the large audiences. The Sunday event saw the cameras switching to celebrities in attendance including Leonardo DiCaprio, Justin Bieber, etc.

Ad Activity Increases During the Super Bowl

The large audience during the Super Bowl has also made it a perfect destination for advertisements and promotions.

The Sunday event saw several celebrities feature in ads. One of the most popular ads was one by Verizon featuring Beyonce and Tony Hale. However, other ads were also on display during the game, with brands estimated to have spent $650 million to promote their offerings.

Super Bowl ads do not come cheap. A 30-second ad space in the Super Bowl LVIII cost a whopping $7 million. However, brands are willing to pay a huge amount to have their ads aired in the most-watched live event in the US.

The average price for a 30-second Super Bowl commercial this year has moved up to a record $7 million, 169% higher than the cost in 2010 ($2.6 million). In 1967 during the first Super Bowl the price was $42k. pic.twitter.com/mfVOP3DOAD

- Charlie Bilello (@charliebilello) February 9, 2024

Streaming platforms are now seeing the potential of the NFL, and are rushing to be part of the experience. Amazon Prime Video has secured a deal with the NFL to air the first NFL playoff game next season. Prime Video already has an existing deal with the NFL for Thursday Night Football."

Music streaming platform Spotify also had an indirect benefit after Usher's performance. Streams on Spotify for Usher songs have increased by more than 550% after the event, pointing towards the massive effect of the game.

The impact of Usher's Super Bowl performance:

Spotify streams are up +550%
Concert ticket prices are up +40%

Even crazier, @TickPick says 38% of the total tickets they have sold for Usher's upcoming tour came after last night's game.

The Super Bowl effect is real pic.twitter.com/VgeEHPr2lL

- Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) February 12, 2024

Given the record-breaking viewership and the positive effect of brands that showcase themselves during the event, the NFL could be the focus of advertising.

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