The Super Bowl has set a viewership record for four consecutive years, with the last two telecasts being the first to reach over 100 million U.S. viewers. Last year's Packers-Steelers matchup averaged a 46.0 rating (111.0 million viewers), which was the highest-rated Super Bowl since Cowboys-Steelers in '96. Fox aired the first Giants-Patriots Super Bowl matchup in '08, drawing a 43.1 rating and 97.4 million viewers. Listed below is a Nielsen ratings trend for the Super Bowl (THE DAILY).
| SUPER BOWL RATINGS/VIEWERSHIP TREND |
| YR | SB | NET | RATING | VIEWERS (000) | MATCHUP |
| '11 | XLV | Fox | 46.0 | 111,010 | Packers-Steelers |
| '10 | XLIV | CBS | 45.0 | 106,476 | Saints-Colts |
| '09 | XLIII | NBC | 42.0 | 98,732 | Steelers-Cardinals |
| '08 | XLII | Fox | 43.1 | 97,448 | Giants-Patriots |
| '07 | XLI | CBS | 42.6 | 93,184 | Colts-Bears |
| '06 | XL | ABC | 41.6 | 90,745 | Steelers-Seahawks |
| '05 | XXXIX | Fox | 41.1 | 86,072 | Patriots-Eagles |
| '04 | XXXVIII | CBS | 41.4 | 89,795 | Patriots-Panthers |
| '03 | XXXVII | ABC | 40.7 | 88,637 | Buccaneers-Raiders |
| '02 | XXXVI | Fox | 40.4 | 86,801 | Patriots-Rams |
| '01 | XXXV | CBS | 40.4 | 84,335 | Ravens-Giants |
| '00 | XXXIV | ABC | 43.3 | 88,465 | Rams-Titans |
| '99 | XXXIII | Fox | 40.2 | 83,720 | Broncos-Falcons |
| '98 | XXXII | NBC | 44.5 | 90,000 | Broncos-Packers |
| '97 | XXXI | Fox | 43.3 | 87,870 | Packers-Patriots |
| '96 | XXX | NBC | 46.0 | 94,080 | Cowboys-Steelers |
| '95 | XXIX | ABC | 41.3 | 83,420 | 49ers-Chargers |
| '94 | XXVIII | NBC | 45.5 | 90,000 | Cowboys-Bills |
| '93 | XXVII | NBC | 45.1 | 90,990 | Cowboys-Bills |
| '92 | XXVI | CBS | 40.3 | 79,590 | Redskins-Bills |
| '91 | XXV | ABC | 41.9 | 79,510 | Giants-Bills |
| '90 | XXIV | CBS | 39.0 | 73,852 | 49ers-Broncos |
| '89 | XXIII | NBC | 43.5 | 81,590 | 49ers-Bengals |
| '88 | XXII | ABC | 41.9 | 80,140 | Redskins-Broncos |
| '87 | XXI | CBS | 45.8 | 87,190 | Giants-Broncos |
| '86 | XX | NBC | 48.3 | 92,570 | Bears-Patriots |
| '85 | XIX | ABC | 46.4 | 85,530 | 49ers-Dolphins |
| '84 | XVIII | CBS | 46.4 | 77,620 | Raiders-Redskins |
| '83 | XVII | NBC | 48.6 | 81,770 | Redskins-Dolphins |
| '82 | XVI | CBS | 49.1 | 85,240 | 49ers-Bengals |
| '81 | XV | NBC | 44.4 | 68,290 | Raiders-Eagles |
| '80 | XIV | CBS | 46.3 | 76,240 | Steelers-Rams |
| '79 | XIII | NBC | 47.1 | 74,740 | Steelers-Cowboys |
| '78 | XII | CBS | 47.2 | 78,940 | Cowboys-Broncos |
| '77 | XI | NBC | 44.4 | 62,050 | Raiders-Vikings |
| '76 | X | CBS | 42.3 | 57,710 | Steelers-Cowboys |
| '75 | IX | NBC | 42.4 | 56,050 | Steelers-Vikings |
| '74 | VIII | CBS | 41.6 | 51,700 | Dolphins-Vikings |
| '73 | VII | NBC | 42.7 | 53,320 | Dolphins-Redskins |
| '72 | VI | CBS | 44.2 | 56,640 | Cowboys-Dolphins |
| '71 | V | NBC | 39.9 | 46,040 | Colts-Cowboys |
| '70 | IV | CBS | 39.4 | 44,270 | Chiefs-Vikings |
| '69 | III | NBC | 36.0 | 41,660 | Jets-Colts |
| '68 | II | CBS | 36.8 | 39,120 | Packers-Raiders |
| '67* | I | CBS | 22.6 | 26,750 | Packers-Chiefs |
| '67* | I | NBC | 18.5 | 24,430 | Packers-Chiefs |
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NOTE: * = Super Bowl I was simulcast.
