Super Bowl 2024 Is The Most Watched Telecast In History And We Know Why
Sunday’s Super Bowl 2024 between the defending champions Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49rs was recently revealed to have reached the widest audience in broadcast history. While the storied rematch between the Chiefs and 49ers from Super Bowl 2020 undoubtedly garnered a hefty share of the viewership, it’s clear pop sensation Taylor Swift has brought a new fanbase to the NFL and can be credited with at least part of the record-breaking viewership.
Record Breaking Numbers
After the conclusion of Super Bowl 2024, Neilson released a ratings report that showed that a whopping 123.4 million viewers were watching on average, shattering the record set by last year’s game that featured the Kansas City Chiefs defeating the Philadelphia Eagles. The ratings agency also reported that more than 202.4 million fans tuned in at some point during this year’s broadcast. Just how many of them were hoping to see Taylor Swift is uncertain, though it’s undeniable the impact she’s had on the sport.
Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce
Taylor Swift has been dating Kansas City Chiefs veteran tight end Travis Kelce since the beginning of the season and has been a regularly spotted celebrity during network broadcasts of the Chief’s games over the 18-week NFL season. Prior to Super Bowl 2024, the singer was spotted at 12 games featuring her love interest. When Swift’s fans began to tune into Chiefs games early in the season in hopes of catching a glimpse of their icon in the stadium suites, revenue for the Kansas City Chiefs and the National Football League received a large boon.
Taylor Is A Gift To The NFL
Data was recently released showing that Taylor Swift had generated over $300 million for both organizations during the 2023 season. This is largely due to her fans boosting viewership of games, jersey sales featuring the number 87 (Travis Kelce‘s number), and Chief’s merchandise. This revenue was based on data between the first game Swift attended on September 24 and the Divisional Playoff Game between the Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills on January 22. Just how much additional revenue Swift added for the Chiefs during the AFC Championship Game and Super Bowl 2024 is yet to be determined.
It Isn’t Just Tay-Tay
Super Bowl 2024’s record ratings can also be attributed to the stellar halftime show that music fans had been looking forward to for weeks. Featuring R&B artist Usher, this year’s mid-game show was one for the ages. Usher was joined on stage with many icons of hip-hop from the late 1990s and 2000s, including Alicia Keys, will.i.am, Ludacris, and Lil Jon, while Taylor Swift looked on from one of Allegiant Stadium’s suites.
The Actual Game
As for the game itself, fans of either team were in for an adventurous and nail-biting ride that highlighted both the Chiefs’ and the 49ers’ defense in the first two quarters, leading to a 10-3 San Francisco advantage going into halftime. By the final minutes of the fourth quarter, Super Bowl 2024 looked like it might go down in the books as a 49rs’ victory when the Bay Area team took a 19-16 lead. But Chief’s kicker Harrison Butker kicked a game-tying field goal with mere seconds left, putting the game into overtime and giving the Kansas City fans and Taylor Swift hope for a Chief’s victory.
After falling behind San Francisco 22-19 in overtime, Kansas City had one final drive to either tie or win Super Bowl 2024. As Taylor Swift and company looked on, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw a short pass to wide receiver Mecole Hardman in the end zone, propelling Kansas City to a 25-22 victory and their third Super Bowl Championship in five years.
Sources: Variety
