Super Bowl TV Ratings Not So Super

Although the New York Giants’ 20-19 victory was one of the most dramatic Super Bowls, it was among the lower-rated games in the event’s 25-year history.

Sunday’s game, televised by ABC, averaged a 42.9 overnight rating in 25 cities, according to A.C. Nielsen Co. numbers released by ABC. If that holds up in the national ratings, it would be the third-lowest-rated Super Bowl since 1976.

The only lower-rated games in the last 15 years would be last year’s between San Francisco and Denver on CBS (39.0) and 1988’s game between Washington and Denver on ABC (41.9). The 49ers beat the Broncos 55-10 in the 1990 Super Bowl and the Redskins beat Denver 42-10 in ’88.

The rating represents the percentage of televisions tuned in to a program and represents 921,000 homes.

The game got a 63 share, the percentage of homes whose televisions are on at the time. If that holds up in the national ratings, it will be the second-lowest Super Bowl share ever, behind 1988 (62).