Super Bowl LVIII was most-watched program in television history, CBS Sports says

BALTIMORE -- Super Bowl LVIII, which aired on CBS Sunday, was the most watched program in television history, CBS Sports says.

It based its announcement on initial data from Nielsen Media Research and Adobe Analytics. Final Nielsen numbers were expected Tuesday.

The Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime — only the second Super Bowl ever to go into overtime.  

CBS Sports says its coverage brought in a total audience of 123.4 million average views across all platforms including the CBS Television Network, Paramount+, Nickelodeon, Univision, CBS Sports and NFL digital properties, including NFL+.

The record-setting viewership topped the previous record of 115.1 million viewers drawn by last year's title game.  

Super Bowl LVIII was also the most streamed Super Bowl in history, CBS Sports pointed out.

In an email to Paramount employees, President and CEO Bob Bakish said the game "is officially one for the record books" and "a monumental and historic win" for the company.

The halftime performance featured iconic R&B artist Usher along with special guests Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and more.  

Related: Who performed at the Super Bowl 2024 halftime show? Here's a full list of performers

Viewers also saw pop superstar Taylor Swift again. She's dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and was spotted at numerous Chiefs games this season.  

Swift's attendance increased viewership and ticket sales, CBS News Philadelphia reported.

Christian Olaniran

Christian Olaniran is a Digital Producer for CBS News Baltimore, where he writes stories on diverse topics including politics, arts, culture, sports and more. He also creates engaging social media content to complement news coverage.

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