It did not top the Super Bowl ratings charts, but Philadelphia delivered its highest rating ever for the game.
The Eagles’ Super Bowl 52 victory over the Patriots earned a 56.2 rating in Philadelphia, up a fraction of a percent from the team’s previous Super Bowl appearance, a loss to New England in Super Bowl 39 (56.0). The 56.2 is Philadelphia’s highest Super Bowl rating ever (metered market ratings date back to 1987).
By comparison, the Phillies’ clinching win in Game 5 of the 2008 World Series had 51.6 rating. Keep in mind that rating is for the abbreviated final 3 1/2 innings (Game 5 took place across two nights due to rain).
In Boston, the Super Bowl delivered a 55.9 rating — up 3% from the Patriots’ comeback win over Atlanta last year (54.3). The 55.9 ranks fourth out of the ten Patriots Super Bowl appearances, behind New England’s 2015 win over Seattle (61.0), 2012 loss to the Giants (56.7) and 2002 win over the Rams (56.1).
Neither Philadelphia nor Boston took top honors Sunday. Buffalo led all markets with a 56.4, down 1% from last year (57.2).
Tied for fourth behind Buffalo, Philadelphia and Boston, host city Minneapolis had a 54.9 rating — up 2% from last year (54.0) and up 14% from the last time it hosted the Super Bowl (1992: 48.0). The 54.9 is the highest in a Super Bowl host city since Phoenix three years ago (55.6).
Minneapolis turned in an 82 share, meaning that 82% of homes with televisions in use were tuned to the game, leading all markets. Philadelphia and Boston had an 81 share and no other market cracked an 80.
Rounding out the top five, Pittsburgh also pulled a 54.9 — down 5% from last year, when it led all markets (57.9). The remaining top ten markets were Norfolk, Va. (53.9, -4%), New Orleans (53.0, +10%), Providence (52.5, -4%), Milwaukee (52.3, -5%), Seattle (52.2, -1%) and Kansas City (52.2, -2%).
[Numbers from NBC Sports]
