CBS' coverage of Super Bowl XLIV was watched by an estimated 106.5 million viewers, making it the most-watched program in television history. The game, which gave the beleaguered New Orleans Saints its first Super Bowl appearance and win -- eclipsed the 1983 finale of M*A*S*H for most-watched of all time.
Immediately following the Super Bowl, CBS premiered reality show Undercover Boss, which tallied 38.6 million viewers, making it the most-watched reality series premiere ever and the biggest new series debut on TV since 1987.
The Super Bowl, which was broadcast live from Miami on CBS, averaged a 46.4 household rating/68 share, according to overnight ratings supplied by Nielsen.
That marks a 10% increase over last year's match up between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals (42.1/65).
Tune in for the game peaked between 9:30-9:45 p.m. (50.6/71).
Not surprisingly, New Orleans was the top-rated market (56.3/82), followed by Washington, D.C. (56.0/73), where hundreds of thousands of people were snowed in. Nashville was the third most watched market (54.4/73) followed by Indianapolis, home of the losing Colts (54.2/ 80).
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
