Super Bowl Gets Early 43.9 Rating
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Viewers were not turned off because Dallas’ victory over Buffalo was so lopsided. Overnight numbers indicate NBC could get the highest A.C. Nielsen rating for a Super Bowl since 1987.
The Nielsen overnight ratings for the Super Bowl averaged a 43.9 with a 65% share of the audience, up 9% from the overnights of 40.4 and 60 on CBS last year when Washington beat Buffalo.
The overnight rating is the highest since the New York Giants’ victory over Denver drew a 47.9 on CBS in 1987. The last time NBC had a Super Bowl in 1989, it had an overnight rating of 42.7.
The overnight ratings are based on returns from 28 metered Nielsen markets. Full national ratings are due out today.
The overnight rating in Dallas was the best of any of the 28 markets, 58.0 with an 84 share. Buffalo is not a metered market.
NBC’s pregame show drew an average overnight of 14.3.
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