Super Bowl LVIII Drew Largest TV Crowd in the Game's History
Consistently drawing audiences in excess of 100 million, the Super Bowl stands as the pinnacle of American television events. According to Nielsen, last year’s Super Bowl LVIII attracted a record average viewership of 123.7 million, making it not only the most-watched Super Bowl in the game’s long history, but also the largest single-network telecast ever in the United States. 120.3 million viewers watched the broadcast on CBS alone, while another 2.3 million viewers watched the Spanish-language broadcast on Univision and 1.2 million tuned in to the kids-friendly broadcast on Nickelodeon/Nick-at-Nite.
Over the past decade, Super Bowl viewership has experienced fluctuations. After a peak in 2015, where Super Bowl XLIX was watched by almost 115 million people, viewership declined in four consecutive years, even dropping back below 100 million in 2019 and 2021. However, recent games have seen a resurgence in audience numbers, culminating in the record-breaking viewership of Super Bowl LVIII, which some have attributed to Taylor Swift’s unmatched popularity and her relationship with Travis Kelce, tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Swift-Kelce storyline has further added to the Super Bowl's significance not only as a sporting event but also as a cultural phenomenon that captivates millions across the nation. It is this combination of sports, show and commerce that makes it true must-see TV.