The final Nielsen numbers for Super Bowl XLVIII are in and the game, despite being a blowout, is now the most-watched television program in U.S. history. It was watched by 112,191,000 viewers, topping the previous record of 111,346,000 viewers who watched Super Bowl XLVI back 2012. There are now five Super Bowl games ahead of “Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen” on the list of most-watched programs:
Most-Viewed Television Broadcasts in U.S. History
| ## | Program | Year | Average Viewers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Super Bowl XLVIII | 2014 | 112,191,000 |
| 2. | Super Bowl XLVI | 2012 | 111,346,000 |
| 3. | Super Bowl XLV | 2011 | 111,010,000 |
| 4. | Super Bowl XLVII | 2013 | 108,693,000 |
| 5. | Super Bowl XLIV | 2010 | 106,476,000 |
| 6. | “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen” | 1983 | 105,970,000 |
That said, “Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen” is still the highest-RATED television program of all time. It averaged a 60.2 Nielsen rating back in 1983. By comparison, Super Bowl XLVIII averaged a 46.7 rating, meaning less than half of all television households in the country were tuned into the game. I’ve revised my Goodbye, Farewell and Amen Ratings Analysis accordingly.
Unamused BDOR is unamused.