The capper to one of the most surreal years in sports history delivered one of the top Super Bowl overnights ever.
Super Bowl 51 between the Patriots and Falcons scored a 48.8 overnight rating on FOX Sunday evening, down a fraction of a percent from Broncos/Panthers on CBS last year (49.0) and down 2% from Patriots/Seahawks on NBC in 2015 (49.7). Compared to the previous Super Bowl on FOX, Seahawks/Broncos three years ago, overnights rose 3% from a 47.6.
The Patriots’ record-setting comeback win, which culminated in the first overtime in Super Bowl history, delivered the third-highest Super Bowl overnight on record (dates back to 1976) and the best-ever mark for the FOX network. Per Fox Sports executive Michael Mulvihill, overnights peaked at a 52.1 from 10-10:30 PM ET — surpassing last year’s peak of 51.5 (10-10:15 PM) but behind the 2015 peak of 53.5 (9:45-10 PM).
Keep in mind that a decline in the overnights does not necessarily mean a decline in the final numbers. Super Bowl 47 in 2015 and 45 in 2012 each posted declines in the metered markets but ended up with increases in both ratings and viewership.
The halftime show averaged a 50.0 overnight, even with last year but down from 2015 (50.8).
(Sun. numbers from Sports Business Daily 2.6, Michael Mulvihill/Twitter, 2.6)
