NBC's Super Bowl XLVI Broadcast Audience is Third Highest in Event History

According to overnight Nielsen ratings reports, Super Bowl XLVI drew the third largest viewer audience in Super Bowl history. The game earned a 47.8/71 overnight rating/share for NBC, less than one percent off from the all-time highest rated games, Super Bowls XLV and XXI. Viewership saw a 7% increase over the last Super Bowl match-up between the New York Giants and New England Patriots in 2008.

Based on preliminary data, the Super Bowl averaged around 100 million viewers and a 37 demo rating for 18-to-49 year old Adults.

NBC's premiere of its hit singing competition THE VOICE also fared well last night, averaging a 19.4/33 in metered-market household figures. That number was up 27 percent versus Fox's post Super Bowl airing of Glee last year.