I'm proud to report that since 2005 when the first paper was published, showing the impact of CTE on the NFL viewership has ramped up nicely. I also liked the fact that until recently, the endzone printed message was "end racism". Next year it will be "end CTE"...just kidding. You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.
A record 128 million Americans tuned in to watch the Super Bowl
Chart R
According to figures from Nielsen and Fox, the Super Bowl LIX attracted a whopping 127.7 million viewers on average, as a record number of Americans tuned in to watch the Philadelphia Eagles trounce the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Bigger Game
The overall tally is up more than 3% from last year’s record-breaking 123.7 million figure, and more people were choosing to stream the game than ever before, too: 13.6 million people watched along on Tubi for free, while ~1 million people caught the action on NFL+ and other league platforms, per Variety.
Some had estimated that viewership could fall slightly from the total in 2024, owing to last year’s overtime bump, the lopsided score at halftime this year, and the fact that the showdown was last seen on the Super Bowl stage just two years ago. However, it seems that Fox has dodged a bullet, thanks in part to Nielsen’s new ratings methodology, which is reportedly better at capturing out-of-home viewers.
Fox execs, who apparently saw the Big Game audience peak at 137.7 million in the second quarter, will have had a happier Sunday than Miami Heat President Pat Riley, the owner of the trademarked phrase “three-peat” who would’ve received a bumper payout from its use, if only Patrick Mahomes and co. had pulled off an historic third win on the bounce. Add Riley to the list of people who had a Super Bowl Sunday to forget, maybe right between Aubrey Drake Graham and the team behind Fox’s new scorebug.
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