• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Arts & EntertainmentSuper Bowl 2017

Here’s How Many People Watched the Super Bowl

By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 6, 2017, 3:02 PM ET
Tom Brady
New England Patriots' Tom Brady raises the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the Atlanta Falcons in overtime at the NFL Super Bowl 51 football game Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017, in Houston. The Patriots defeated the Falcons 34-28. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)Darron Cummings — AP

Between an amazing comeback and a dramatic overtime finish, this year’s Super Bowl proved to be a historic game. But, the excitement did not translate into a TV ratings bump for Sunday night’s big championship.

According to Nielsen, 111.3 million people tuned in to watch Super Bowl LI on Fox last night. That’s a massive total, and the game will almost certainly be the most-watched television event of 2017, but it falls short of Super Bowl viewership totals in recent years.

Sunday’s victory for the New England Patriots over the Atlanta Falcons drew fewer viewers than any Super Bowl since 2013, when the Baltimore Ravens beat the San Francisco 49ers. That game drew an audience of 108.7 million.

Last year’s Super Bowl between the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers drew roughly 111.9 million viewers, while 2015’s game in which the Patriots defeated the Seattle Seahawks set an all-time record at 114.4 million.

Preliminary ratings released this morning by 21st Century Fox showed the highest ratings ever for any broadcast in the network’s history. Fox shares Super Bowl TV rights with the other major broadcast networks, which rotate broadcasting the game each year.

Those preliminary numbers showed that Super Bowl LI drew a 48.8 overnight rating, which was down slightly from last year’s 49.0 rating as well as the 49.7 rating that the record-setting 2015 Super Bowl drew.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

(The overnight metered market ratings measure 56 major television markets across the U.S. and represent roughly 70% of the country. The ratings are used as an early indicator of the total viewership.)

Fox noted that the ratings for last night’s game actually peaked between 10:00 and 10:30 p.m. ET, which was when the game moved into overtime—the first time a Super Bowl extended into extra time. The network also said that an additional 1.72 million people watched this year’s Super Bowl online, via Fox Sports Go, and another 650,000 viewers watched on the Spanish-language Fox Deportes channel. (Fox said those added viewers brought the total audience to 113.7 million.)

The ratings for Super Bowl LI cap off a tumultuous year for the NFL’s television ratings overall. The league suffered disappointing ratings during the 2016 regular season—particularly in the early weeks of the season—with NFL ratings down 8% overall from the previous season.

About the Author
By Tom Huddleston Jr.
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
C-Suite
OpenAI’s Sam Altman says his highly disciplined daily routine has ‘fallen to crap’—and now unwinds on weekends at a ranch with no cell phone service
By Jacqueline MunisFebruary 5, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Politics
Meet the Palm Beach billionaire who paid $2 million for a private White House visit with Trump
By Tristan BoveFebruary 3, 2026
4 days ago
placeholder alt text
Travel & Leisure
How Japan replaced France as the country young Americans obsessively romanticize—they’re longing for civility they don’t see at home
By Nick LichtenbergFebruary 5, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Nestlé’s CEO drinks 8 coffees a day, but says Gen Z staffers are his secret to staying sharp by ‘learning constantly’
By Emma BurleighFebruary 5, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
After decades in the music industry, Pharrell Williams admits he never stops working: ‘If you do what you love everyday, you’ll get paid for free'
By Emma BurleighFebruary 3, 2026
4 days ago
placeholder alt text
Crypto
Bitcoin whales and ETFs are baling out of the market; UBS warns: ‘Crypto is not an asset’
By Jim EdwardsFebruary 6, 2026
20 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.


Latest in Arts & Entertainment

Arts & EntertainmentSuper Bowl
Many 2026 Super Bowl ads share a common theme, revealing a truth about America’s current mindset
By Mae Anderson and The Associated PressFebruary 6, 2026
13 hours ago
Arts & EntertainmentSuper Bowl
Meet the man who’s created Super Bowl confetti for the past 30 years after getting his start at Disney
By Donna Gordon Blankinship and The Associated PressFebruary 6, 2026
13 hours ago
Jim Carrey almost returned a $20 million paycheck, with interest, for his hit role in How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Arts & EntertainmentMovies
Jim Carrey nearly quit ‘Grinch’ and offered to return his $20 million paycheck. Then the founder of SEAL Team Six came to the rescue
By Nino Paoli and Fortune EditorsFebruary 6, 2026
16 hours ago
super bowl
Arts & EntertainmentFood and drink
Your Super Bowl party can beat inflation, Wells Fargo says. Just double down on wings and guac and skip the beef
By Nick LichtenbergFebruary 6, 2026
18 hours ago
bunny
North AmericaSports
Why Bad Bunny is essential to the future of the NFL, even if Trump hates his halftime show
By Jared Bahir Browsh and The ConversationFebruary 4, 2026
2 days ago
SuccessOlympics
Philippines’ first male Olympic gold medalist in history was given a fully furnished $550,000 condo and a lifetime supply of ramen to go with his medals
By Orianna Rosa RoyleFebruary 4, 2026
3 days ago