Fox attracts record-high 126 million viewers for the Super Bowl
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The numbers of viewers for the 2025 Super Bowl rose 2.1 per cent to an average 126 million.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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NEW YORK – The Philadelphia Eagles’ easy 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Feb 9 delivered a record TV audience for the Super Bowl.
The number of viewers rose by 2.1 per cent from last year’s telecast to an average of 126 million, according to initial figures from Fox Corp, the game’s broadcaster. The tally includes its namesake network, the company’s free Tubi streaming service, Telemundo and other outlets. Tubi alone delivered 13.6 million viewers.
In 2024, 123.7 million tuned in to the National Football League (NFL) championship game to see the Chiefs pull off a thrilling overtime victory against the San Francisco 49ers.
In contrast, the Eagles’ win in New Orleans did not make for as much excitement. The team took an early commanding lead and the Chiefs did not score until late in the third quarter when they were down 34-0.
The Eagles’ strong defence, which sacked Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes six times and made two interceptions, helped pave the way for the franchise’s second Super Bowl win.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was named the game’s Most Valuable Player after throwing two touchdowns and scoring another himself.
Rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean got an interception and ran it back for a touchdown on his 22nd birthday.
A 50-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes during the fourth quarter came too late. The Chiefs were seeking their third Super Bowl win in a row, a feat yet to be achieved by an NFL franchise.
Fox projected the peak viewership for the game was 135.7 million in the second quarter, from 8pm to 8.15pm Eastern Time. By half-time, the Eagles led 24-0 and the competitive portion of the game was essentially over.
The Super Bowl is annually the most-watched United States telecast of the year.
In fact, 19 of the top 20 most-viewed telecasts in national history are Super Bowls, the lone exception being the final episode of the sitcom M*A*S*H which drew 105.9 million viewers in 1983.
Viewers at home on Feb 9 also saw Super Bowl commercials that leveraged humour, celebrity appearances and nostalgia to promote products that ranged from artificial intelligence glasses to mayonnaise.
Some 30-second ads went for a record price of more than US$8 million (S$10.8 million).
Fast-food chain Carl’s Jr and website domain service GoDaddy Inc, both known for controversial Super Bowl ads, purchased spots after a long hiatus.
Some fans experienced difficulties with Fox’s Tubi service, airing complaints on social media about freezing and glitches. However, Tubi had the shortest Super Bowl lag time of any streaming service with a 26-second delay, according to video technology platform Phenix Real Time Solutions Inc. BLOOMBERG, REUTERS
