In 1983, M*A*S*H* had its finale. Approximately 105.97 million viewers flocked to television sets everywhere to watch this iconic show end and no show has ever surpassed it in viewership … until this past weekend.
More than 106 million viewers gathered to watch the New Orleans Saints battle on the football field with the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl 44. New Orleans was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina a few short years ago and is still in recovery. The Saints had never won a Super Bowl in the history of the team and the world held its breath in anticipation. Could the Saints pull off the win over football’s golden child (in my opinion) Peyton Manning and redeem an entire city?
Manning, who had already thrown his way to a Super Bowl ring in 2007, was on the right path to a second and all that stood in his way was a football game with a team that had never been to the Super Bowl before. What was going to happen? Would Manning get that ring or would the underdogs take the win? It’s these stories that fueled the fire of viewership this year (of course the Super Bowl commercials didn’t hurt). As we well know by now, the Saints triumphed and Manning was denied his coveted ring. Drew Brees may have stolen Manning’s “golden boy” status as well.
This year’s Super Bowl also blew the roof off of the record for viewership of the game, topping last year’s Cardinals/ Steelers game viewership of 98.7 million. It seems this game was destined to break all kinds of records. Happy partying New Orleans!
Comments
No comments.