Ratings and viewership for every Super Bowl. Also includes what the equivalent rating would be in today’s Nielsen universe of 114.9 million households.
In 2009, Super Bowl XLIII (Steelers/Cardinals) drew a 42.0 rating and 98.7 million viewers on NBC, down 3% in ratings but up 1% in viewership from the previous year, and the most-viewed Super Bowl ever.
The 98.7 million viewers topped the previous record of 97.4 million set by Super Bowl XLII (Giants/Patriots) in 2008.
The past three Super Bowls have been three of the four most-viewed in the history of the event.
Despite the record viewership, ratings for the Super Bowl remain well below the record set by Super Bowl XVI in 1982 (49.1).
Keep in mind that there were just 81.5 million U.S. television households in ’82. So while the 40 million homes for Super Bowl XVI equaled a 49.1 rating back then, it would equal just a 34.8 in today’s Nielsen universe of 114.9 million homes.
From 2000 to 2009, the Super Bowl averaged approximately 90.4 million viewers, up 6% from the 1990s (85.3 mil), up 11% from the 1980s (81.6 mil), and up 56% from the 1970s (58.1 mil).
Ratings/viewership for every Super Bowl
| Year | SB | Date | Game | Net | Rating | Today | Viewers (000) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | XLIII | Sun., 2/1/09 | Steelers 27 | NBC |
42.0/64
|
41.9
|
98,732
|
| Cardinals 23 | |||||||
| 2008 | XLII | Sun., 2/3/08 | Giants 17 | FOX |
43.1/65
|
42.4
|
97,448
|
| Patriots 14 | |||||||
| 2007 | XLI | Sun., 2/4/07 | Colts 29 | CBS |
42.6/64
|
41.4
|
93,184
|
| Bears 17 | |||||||
| 2006 | XL | Sun., 2/5/06 | Steelers 21 | ABC |
41.6/62
|
39.9
|
90,745
|
| Seahawks 10 | |||||||
| 2005 | XXXIX | Sun., 2/6/05 | Patriots 24 | FOX |
41.1/62
|
39.2
|
86,072
|
| Eagles 21 | |||||||
| 2004 | XXXVIII | Sun., 2/1/04 | Patriots 32 | CBS |
41.4/63
|
39.1
|
89,795
|
| Panthers 29 | |||||||
| 2003 | XXXVII | Sun., 1/26/03 | Buccaneers 48 | ABC |
40.7/61
|
37.8
|
88,637
|
| Raiders 21 | |||||||
| 2002 | XXXVI | Sun., 2/3/02 | Patriots 20 | FOX |
40.4/61
|
37.1
|
86,801
|
| Rams 17 | |||||||
| 2001 | XXXV | Sun., 1/28/01 | Ravens 34 | CBS |
40.4/61
|
35.9
|
84,335
|
| Giants 7 | |||||||
| 2000 | XXXIV | Sun., 1/30/00 | Rams 23 | ABC |
43.3/63
|
38.0
|
88,465
|
| Titans 16 | |||||||
| 1999 | XXXIII | Sun., 1/31/99 | Broncos 34 | FOX |
40.2/61
|
34.8
|
83,720
|
| Falcons 19 | |||||||
| 1998 | XXXII | Sun., 1/25/98 | Broncos 31 | NBC |
44.5/67
|
38.0
|
90,000
|
| Packers 24 | |||||||
| 1997 | XXXI | Sun., 1/26/97 | Packers 35 | FOX |
43.3/65
|
36.6
|
87,870
|
| Patriots 21 | |||||||
| 1996 | XXX | Sun., 1/28/96 | Cowboys 27 | NBC |
46.0/68
|
38.4
|
94,080
|
| Steelers 17 | |||||||
| 1995 | XXIX | Sun., 1/29/95 | 49ers 29 | ABC |
41.3/62
|
34.3
|
83,420
|
| Chargers 26 | |||||||
| 1994 | XXVIII | Sun., 1/30/94 | Cowboys 30 | NBC |
45.5/66
|
37.3
|
90,000
|
| Bills 13 | |||||||
| 1993 | XXVII | Sun., 1/31/93 | Cowboys 52 | NBC |
45.1/66
|
36.6
|
90,990
|
| Bills 17 | |||||||
| 1992 | XXVI | Sun., 1/26/92 | Washington 37 | CBS |
40.3/61
|
32.3
|
79,590
|
| Bills 24 | |||||||
| 1991 | XXV | Sun., 1/27/91 | Giants 20 | ABC |
41.9/63
|
34.0
|
79,510
|
| Bills 19 | |||||||
| 1990 | XXIV | Sun., 1/28/90 | 49ers 55 | CBS |
39.0/63
|
31.3
|
73,852
|
| Broncos 10 | |||||||
| 1989 | XXIII | Sun., 1/22/89 | 49ers 20 | NBC |
43.5/68
|
34.2
|
81,590
|
| Bengals 16 | |||||||
| 1988 | XXII | Sun., 1/31/88 | Washington 42 | ABC |
41.9/62
|
32.3
|
80,140
|
| Broncos 10 | |||||||
| 1987 | XXI | Sun., 1/25/87 | Giants 39 | CBS |
45.8/66
|
34.8
|
87,190
|
| Broncos 20 | |||||||
| 1986 | XX | Sun., 1/26/86 | Bears 46 | NBC |
48.3/70
|
36.1
|
92,570
|
| Patriots 10 | |||||||
| 1985 | XIX | Sun., 1/20/85 | 49ers 38 | ABC |
46.4/63
|
34.3
|
85,530
|
| Dolphins 16 | |||||||
| 1984 | XVIII | Sun., 1/22/84 | Raiders 38 | CBS |
46.4/71
|
33.8
|
77,620
|
| Washington 9 | |||||||
| 1983 | XVII | Sun., 1/30/83 | Washington 27 | NBC |
48.6/69
|
35.2
|
81,770
|
| Dolphins 17 | |||||||
| 1982 | XVI | Sun., 1/24/82 | 49ers 26 | CBS |
49.1/73
|
34.8
|
85,240
|
| Bengals 21 | |||||||
| 1981 | XV | Sun., 1/25/81 | Raiders 27 | NBC |
44.4/63
|
30.1
|
68,290
|
| Eagles 10 | |||||||
| 1980 | XIV | Sun., 1/20/80 | Steelers 31 | CBS |
46.3/67
|
30.8
|
76,240
|
| Rams 19 | |||||||
| 1979 | XIII | Sun., 1/21/79 | Steelers 35 | NBC |
47.1/74
|
30.5
|
74,740
|
| Cowboys 31 | |||||||
| 1978 | XII | Sun., 1/15/78 | Cowboys 27 | CBS |
47.2/67
|
30.0
|
78,940
|
| Broncos 10 | |||||||
| 1977 | XI | Sun., 1/9/77 | Raiders 32 | NBC |
44.4/73
|
27.5
|
62,050
|
| Vikings 14 | |||||||
| 1976 | X | Sun., 1/18/76 | Steelers 21 | CBS |
42.3/78
|
25.6
|
57,710
|
| Cowboys 17 | |||||||
| 1975 | VIX | Sun., 1/12/75 | Steelers 16 | NBC |
42.4/72
|
25.3
|
56,050
|
| Vikings 6 | |||||||
| 1974 | VIII | Sun., 1/13/74 | Dolphins 24 | CBS |
41.6/73
|
24.0
|
51,700
|
| Vikings 7 | |||||||
| 1973 | VII | Sun., 1/14/73 | Dolphins 14 | NBC |
42.7/72
|
24.1
|
53,320
|
| Washington 7 | |||||||
| 1972 | VI | Sun., 1/16/72 | Cowboys 24 | CBS |
44.2/74
|
23.9
|
56,640
|
| Dolphins 3 | |||||||
| 1971 | V | Sun., 1/17/71 | Colts 16 | NBC |
39.9/75
|
20.9
|
46,040
|
| Cowboys 13 | |||||||
| 1970 | IV | Sun., 1/11/70 | Chiefs 23 | CBS |
39.4/69
|
20.1
|
44,270
|
| Vikings 7 | |||||||
| 1969 | III | Sun., 1/12/69 | Jets 16 | NBC |
36.0/70
|
17.9
|
41,660
|
| Colts 7 | |||||||
| 1968 | II | Sun., 1/14/68 | Packers 33 | CBS |
36.8/68
|
17.9
|
39,120
|
| Raiders 14 | |||||||
| 1967 | I | Sun., 1/15/67 | Packers 35 | CBS |
22.6/43
|
10.8
|
26,750
|
| Chiefs 10 | NBC |
18.5/36
|
8.8
|
24,430
|
