Based on early results, CBS calls Super Bowl XLVII highest-rated game ever

Nielsen’s Monday morning report of metered markets — the most populous regions in the United States — gave CBS promising returns on its Super Bowl investment. Those results, which will be followed by a more detailed analysis later Monday, showed that the broadcast had an overnight household rating of 48.1 with a 71 share, making it the highest-rated Super Bowl ever in metered markets.

A rating point represents 1 percent of the number of TV households tuned in, while share refers to the percentage of TVs in use that are displaying the program.

The previous record was set two years ago in Super Bowl XLV between the Packers and Steelers.

The two cities with the highest rating were Baltimore and New Orleans, site of the game.

CBS said the most-watched part of the game was the final few minutes, which were played between 10:30-10:45 p.m. The Nielsen numbers do not reflect the half-hour from 8:45-9:15 p.m., when the game was delayed by a power outage.