CBS SPORTS’ COVERAGE OF SUPER BOWL XLIV IS MOST-WATCHED PROGRAM IN TELEVISION HISTORY
February 8, 2010 by J!-ENT · Leave a Comment
AVERAGE OF 106.5 MILLION WATCH NEW ORLEANS WIN SUPER BOWL XLIV AS GAME TOPS “M*A*S*H” FINALE IN 1983
Network Garners Fast National Household Rating/Share of 45.0/68 – Highest in 14 Years
CBS Sports’ coverage of Super Bowl XLIV, featuring the NEW ORLEANS SAINTS’ 31-17 win over the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS on Sunday, Feb 7 (6:31-9:50 PM, ET), was watched by a Nielsen estimated average of 106.5 million viewers, making it the most-watched program in television history, eclipsing the finale of M*A*S*H in 1983 (106 million).
“With all the memorable story lines going into Super Bowl XLIV combined with the awesome power of the NFL, we are thrilled with this rating, and I am extremely proud of the way the entire CBS Television Network produced, sold and promoted the most-watched television show in history,” said Sean McManus, President, CBS News and Sports.
The CBS Television Network’s coverage of Super Bowl XLIV earned an average fast national household rating/share of 45.0/68, up +7% from last year’s 42.0/64 (Pittsburgh-Arizona), making it the highest-rated Super Bowl in 14 years (1/28/96; 46.0/68; Dallas-Pittsburgh).
Last night’s Super Bowl HH rating/share peaked at a 48.5/70 from 9:00-9:30 PM, ET with an average of 114.1 million viewers.
Nielsen estimates that CBS’s coverage of Super Bowl XLIV was seen in-all-or part* by an estimated 153.4 million viewers, +1% higher than last year’s previous high of 151.6 million (NBC).
CBS SPORTS’ COVERAGE OF SUPER BOWL XLIV SCORES HIGHEST RATING IN 23 YEARS
February 8, 2010 by J!-ENT · Leave a Comment
New Orleans Win Over Indianapolis Garners Overnight Rating/Share of 46.4/68 in Metered Markets
CBS Sports’ coverage of Super Bowl XLIV featuring the NEW ORLEANS SAINTS’ 31-17 win over the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS on Sunday, Feb. 7 (6:30-9:45 PM, ET), earned an average overnight household rating/share of 46.4/68, the highest-rated Super Bowl in the metered markets in 23 years (1/25/87; 47.8/68; CBS Sports’ coverage of Super Bowl XXI – Phil Simms-led New York Giants’ win over Denver).
This year’s 46.4/68 is up +10% from last year’s 42.1/65 (Pittsburgh-Arizona) in the metered markets.
The Super Bowl XLIV rating/share peaked at 50.6/71 from 9:30-9:45 PM, ET. Following is a breakdown of the ratings by half-hours:
(All times ET)
6:30-7:00 - 41.5/65 8:30-9:00 - 48.0/69
7:00-7:30 - 45.0/69 9:00-9:30 - 49.8/70
7:30-8:00 - 46.3/69 9:30-9:45 - 50.6/71
8:00-8:30 - 45.3/67
Top 10 Rated in the Metered Markets
•1. New Orleans 56.3/82 6. Dayton, Ohio 53.7/73
•2. Washington, D.C. 56.0/73 7. Norfolk, Va. 53.1/72
•3. Nashville 54.4/73 8. Knoxville, Tenn. 52.0/65
•4. Indianapolis 54.2/80 T9. West Palm Bch, Fla. 51.8/69
•5. Columbus, Ohio 54.0/74 T9. Pittsburgh 51.8/67
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CBS’s premiere of UNDERCOVER BOSS averaged a 20.3/33, the highest post-Super Bowl lead-out since 2006 (ABC; Grey’s Anatomy).
CBS SPORTS TO BROADCAST SUPER BOWL XLIV LIVE ON FEBRUARY 7
Jim Nantz and Phil Simms Call Super Bowl XLIV
CBS News’ Katie Couric to Contribute to THE SUPER BOWL TODAY
PHIL SIMMS ALL-IRON TEAM: SUPER BOWL EDITION Highlights
All-Time Super Bowl Team by Traveling from Hawaii to Ireland
CBS’s New Reality Series, UNDERCOVER BOSS, Premieres Following Super Bowl XLIV
CBS Sports culminates its coverage of the 2009-10 NFL season with SUPER BOWL XLIV on Sunday, Feb. 7 (6:28 PM, ET kick-off) from Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Fla., live on the CBS Television Network. CBS Sports last broadcast the Super Bowl in 2007 when the Indianapolis Colts defeated the Chicago Bears, 29-17. Super Bowl XLIV will be the Network’s 17th Super Bowl broadcast overall.
CBS Sports’ Jim Nantz and Phil Simms call the action, marking the second time in his illustrious 25-year CBS Sports broadcasting career that Nantz calls play-by-play for the Super Bowl. Nantz called his first Super Bowl in 2007 and hosted the Network’s Super Bowl pre-game show, THE SUPER BOWL TODAY, in 2001 and 2004. Simms provides analysis for his sixth Super Bowl, the fourth for CBS Sports. Nantz and Simms are joined on the broadcast by NFL ON CBS analysts Steve Tasker and Solomon Wilcots serving as sideline reporters. Super Bowl XLIV is produced by Lance Barrow, Coordinating Producer, THE NFL ON CBS, and directed by Mike Arnold.
CBS Sports’ coverage of Super Bowl XLIV begins with THE SUPER BOWL TODAY, the Network’s pre-game studio show (2:00-6:00 PM, ET) with host James Brown along with analysts Dan Marino, Boomer Esiason, Shannon Sharpe and Bill Cowher, as well as NFL Insider Charley Casserly, reporters Lesley Visser, Sam Ryan, Tasker, Wilcots and contributor Dick Enberg.
CBS News anchor of THE CBS EVENING NEWS, Katie Couric, serves as a special contributor and will provide a special report during the pre-game show.
Eric Mann is senior producer and Bob Matina is director of THE SUPER BOWL TODAY.
Sean McManus is President, CBS News and Sports and serves as executive producer for the Network’s coverage of the NFL and Super Bowl XLIV. Harold Bryant is Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.
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Following is a preliminary schedule of pre-game programming on CBS (all times Eastern):
12:00 NOON, ET: ROAD TO THE SUPER BOWL – Celebrating its 40th anniversary as the longest-running and most honored (28 Emmy Awards) annual sports special, ROAD TO THE SUPER BOWL, re-lives the 2009 NFL season. Culled by NFL Films producers from more than 1.7 million feet of game footage to 980 feet, the one-hour special also includes audio from more than 400 hours captured from 133 exclusive coach and player on-field wirings. Original orchestral music, including a 60-person choir, was used in producing the show. ROAD TO THE SUPER BOWL debuted following the 1969 season,
1:00 PM, ET: PHIL SIMMS ALL-IRON TEAM: SUPER BOWL EDITION-CBS Sports’ lead NFL analyst and former N.Y. Giants Super Bowl XXI MVP Phil Simms, and his broadcast partner, Jim Nantz, host the eighth edition of his All-Iron Team. This year these men make up Simms’ All-Time Super Bowl team that best represent the qualities of Iron Men and have defined their roles in their teams winning a championship. Traveling all over the world from Hawaii to Ireland, the PHIL SIMMS ALL-IRON TEAM includes the first broadcast interview in 20 years with Jake Scott, a safety from the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins team and Super Bowl VII MVP, who now lives a simple life in Hawaii; and looks at a day-in-the-life of Steelers owner Dan Rooney, who is currently serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Ireland. Also included in the show is an in-depth look at legendary defensive guru Buddy Ryan, architect of the famed “46-Defense” which led the Chicago Bears to victory in Super Bowl XX and father of New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan. The All-Iron Team consists of six Hall of Famers, 37 combined Super Bowl wins, 46 combined Super Bowl appearances, seven combined Super Bowl MVP Awardees and four combined NFL MVPs. [The All-Iron Trophy is an old fashioned iron emblematic of Simms' obsession with ironing. According to his mother, as a child Phil pressed his football and baseball uniforms, and to this day remains committed to creases.]
2:00 PM, ET: THE SUPER BOWL TODAY-James Brown, Dan Marino, Boomer Esiason, Shannon Sharpe and Bill Cowher anchor the Network’s pre-game show live from Sun Life Stadium in Miami previewing all the football and excitement leading up to Super Bowl XLIV. Reporters Lesley Visser, Sam Ryan, along with Steve Tasker and Solomon Wilcots, as well as contributor Dick Enberg, will cover the pre-game activities. Other special contributors include CBS News’ anchor of THE CBS EVENING NEWS Katie Couric.
Sponsors of the pre-game show include: Ritz (2:00-3:00 PM, ET); Doritos (3:00-3:30 PM, ET); Monster.com (3:30-4:00 PM, ET); Pizza Hut (4:00-5:00 PM, ET); Callaway (5:00-5:30 PM, ET) and Vizio (5:30-6:00 PM, ET).
6:00 PM, ET: SUPER BOWL ON CBS KICK-OFF SHOW
The SUPER BOWL ON CBS Kick-Off Show will be sponsored by Hyundai.
6:28 PM, ET: SUPER BOWL XLIV – Kick-off of Super Bowl XLIV live from Miami on the CBS Television Network.
Immediately following “The Intel SUPER BOWL TODAY Post Game Show,” CBS premieres its new reality series UNDERCOVER BOSS.
UNDERCOVER BOSS-CBS’s new reality series that follows high level corporate executives as they slip anonymously into the rank and file of their own companies. Each week, a different executive will leave the comfort of their corner office for an undercover mission to examine the inner workings of their corporation. While working alongside their employees, they will learn about themselves, the effects their decisions have on others, where the problems lie within their organization, the perception of their company and discover the unsung heroes of their work force. The post-Super Bowl XLIV premiere episode on February 7 features Larry O’Donnell, C.O.O. of Waste Management.
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