The Patriots’ first Super Bowl win in ten years delivered the game’s highest ever rating in Boston.
Super Bowl 49 earned a 61.0 rating in Boston, the second-highest local rating in Super Bowl history. Only Chicago generated a higher rating, a 63.0 for the Bears’ blowout of the Patriots in Super Bowl 20.
The 61.0 ranks comfortably ahead of the Patriots’ previous Super Bowl appearances in Boston, topping their most recent appearance — a 2012 loss to the Giants — by 8% (56.7). Compared to the Patriots’ previous Super Bowl win against the Eagles in 2005, Sunday’s rating increased 15% from a 53.1.
Ranking a distant second among metered markets was New Orleans, whose 55.7 rating marked a 3% increase over last year (53.9) but a 3% decline from 2013 when it was the host market (57.1).
This year’s host market, Phoenix, ranked third with a 55.6 rating — up 10% from New York City last year (50.5) but down 3% from New Orleans in 2013 (57.1). The 55.6 is the highest ever for the Super Bowl in the market, topping the previous high of 51.1 for Packers/Steelers in 2011. The last time Phoenix was the host market — 2008 — the game had a 47.0 rating.
Rounding out the top ten, Detroit and Norfolk tied for fourth place (55.0), Chicago sixth (54.9), last year’s top market Kansas City seventh (54.5), Denver and Indianapolis eighth (53.7) and Buffalo tenth (53.6).
Seattle ranked outside the top ten with a 52.1 rating, down 8% from the Seahawks’ blowout win last year (56.7) and down 5% from their loss to the Steelers in Super Bowl 40 nine years ago (55.0).
(Sun. local numbers via NBC Sports Group Press Box)
