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The Super Bowl has consistently held the highest TV rating in the United States. The annual football matchup accounts for 29 of the 30 most-watched television broadcasts in the country's history. Since its inception, the Super Bowl has been the United States' most-watched television broadcast every year.
In this article, we explore the top five most-watched Super Bowls in history. These statistics are based on the average viewership data measured by Nielsen Media Research. This is, in essence, the top five most-watched television broadcasts in American history.
#1, Super Bowl XLIX, 2015
The 2015 edition of the Super Bowl saw the New England Patriots lock horns with the Seattle Seahawks. It was the second time the University of Phoenix Stadium (now State Farm Stadium) hosted the big event.
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The exciting encounter saw the Patriots score 14 points in the fourth quarter to claim a 28-24 victory. With 70,288 spectators watching in the stadium, the matchup recorded an average of 114.44 million television viewers.
#2, Super Bowl XLVIII, 2014
The Seattle Seahawks had an emphatic victory over the Denver Broncos in the 2014 edition of the Super Bowl. Staged at the MetLife Stadium, the Seahawks dominated the Broncos, who were pre-game favorites, in every quarter to win 43-8.
The thrilling encounter was the largest margin of victory for an underdog in Super Bowl history. The game recorded a stadium attendance of 82,529 and an average television audience of 112.19 million.
#3, Super Bowl 50, 2016
This edition was the Super Bowl's golden anniversary, making it a special event. The NFL suspended the tradition of naming in Roman numerals and adopted Arabic numerals for more prominence.
The edition saw the Carolina Panthers take on the Denver Broncos at Levi's Stadium. The matchup ended 24-10 in favor of the Broncos in front of 71,088 fans. It also recorded an average television audience of 111.86 million.
#4, Super Bowl XLVI, 2012
This edition was the first time the Super Bowl was staged within the state of Indiana. The New York Giants squared up against the New England Patriots in Lucas Oil Stadium.
In a thrilling encounter that saw the teams dominate two quarters each, the Giants came out victorious 21-17. A total attendance of 68,658 was recorded at the stadium. Also, an average of 111.35 million people tuned in to watch the game live across the country.
#5, Super Bowl LI, 2017
It was a game of many records in the 2017 edition of the Super Bowl. The New England Patriots clashed against the Atlanta Falcons at NRG Stadium in what became the largest comeback in Super Bowl history. The edition was the Patriots' record-setting ninth Super Bowl appearance.
The Patriots overturned a 28-3 deficit to emerge victorious 34-28 over the Atlanta Falcons. It was also the first Super Bowl to be decided in overtime. The exciting matchup was witnessed by 70,807 spectators, as well as an average television audience of 111.32 million.
