Imagine if the game were close.
Despite escalating into an ugly blowout victory for the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday’s Super Bowl XLVIII delivered a very strong 47.6 overnight metered market rating.
Based on the overnights, the game, which saw the Seahawks defeat the Denver Broncos 43-8, ranks as the fifth-best-performer of all-time. Three of those superior performances, however, came in the past three years.
More official data, including the total viewership average and adults 18-49 rating, will be released by noon.
While the game’s lopsided nature clearly had an adverse effect on ratings, its presence in the New York market (East Rutherford, NJ) definitely helped matters. Despite featuring neither the New York Giants nor New York Jets, the game drew a 50.5 overnight rating in New York City.
In delivering the best regional performance since Super Bowl XXI drew a 53.4, this year’s game outdrew several that featured (and crowned) the local New York Giants.
According to FOX, the top ten regional overnight performances were as follows:
1. Kansas City: 58.1
2. Seattle: 56.7
3. Indianapolis: 53.9
4. New Orleans: 53.2
5. Tulsa: 52.9
6. Las Vegas: 52.5
7. Portland (OR): 52.4
8. Knoxville: 52.3
9. Jacksonville, Fla: 52.0
10. Denver: 51.4