It’s all about the game

Does Super Bowl XLIII finally put to rest the overhyped notion that “new” teams without a national following will suppress ratings for the biggest event of the year? Let’s hope so.

Some events are matchup-driven, but we have never believed that the Super Bowl is one of them. For us, it’s about how close the game is. This year was a great test of the theory. You had the marquee franchise, the Pittsburgh Steelers, against the newbies, the Arizona Cardinals. There were hints of doom before NBC’s broadcast that it would be the lowest-rated Super Bowl ever, maybe even — hush your mouth! — registering below a 40.0 rating! Even the most die-hard optimist wouldn’t dare venture to say the game could outdraw last year’s mega-upset by the Giants over the Patriots.

But this thriller surprised the pundits in both competitiveness and viewer interest, proving again that the quality of the game is what matters. The results showed a 42.0 rating, down nearly 3 percent from last year, but still with a whopping 98.7 million viewers. That made it the most-viewed Super Bowl ever, surpassing last year’s record-setting 97.4 million viewers. And aren’t viewer numbers what it’s all about?

The Super Bowl as a television property is very healthy, and big-time sports events on broadcast television are still one of the top drivers in all of media and entertainment — a powerful message for broadcasters, properties and advertisers.