Super Bowl LX may promise one of the most unexpected matchups in recent years, but it could struggle to pull in the same numbers as previous editions of the NFL Championship game.
Last year’s Super Bowl LIX delivered a television milestone that may stand untouched for some time.
Philadelphia Eagles fan makes a bold pick for the Super Bowl LX winner
The matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs drew an average of 127.7 million viewers on Fox, making it the most-watched telecast in television history.
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That number reflected not just football interest, but a perfect alignment of star power and fan culture. It’s one of several reasons why the impressive numbers behind TV viewers is unlikely to be replicated this year.
For the 60th edition of the Super Bowl, NBC is expected to fall short of that benchmark, even with Nielsen rolling out a new viewership measurement system that has inflated ratings across many major sporting events in recent months.
While the game will still dominate the television landscape and surpass the 100-million-viewer mark, a decline from last year’s historic high is widely anticipated.
One of the most significant differences lies in streaming accessibility. Last year’s Super Bowl aired not only on traditional television through Fox, but also on Tubi, the network’s free streaming platform.
Tubi boasts approximately 97 million active users, giving casual viewers and non-subscribers an easy entry point to the broadcast.
However, this year the Super Bowl will stream on Peacock, a paid service with roughly 44 million subscribers. That gap alone represents tens of millions of potential viewers who may simply opt out.
Star power and casual appeal are missing
Beyond distribution, the human element plays a major role in driving record-breaking numbers.
Last year’s game benefited enormously from crossover interest fueled by Travis Kelce and his high-profile fiance Taylor Swift, an element that attracted viewers who otherwise had little interest in football.
Patrick Mahomes has also reached a level of recognition where non-NFL fans will watch simply to see him perform on the sport’s biggest stage. With all due respect, this year’s quarterbacks Sam Darnold and Drake Maye do not yet command that level of mainstream attention.
There are compelling football stories, to be sure. Darnold‘s career arc resonates with long-time fans, Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the AP Offensive Player of the Year for 2025.
On the Patriots’ side, head coach Mike Vrabel has earned widespread respect for his work and Maye narrowly missed out on the NFL MVP award.
However, respect and intrigue among core fans do not always translate into mass-market appeal. For fringe viewers, this Super Bowl lacks the personalities that turn a championship game into a cultural event.
Super Bowl cannot power past free-to-air broadcast
Factoring in Nielsen‘s updated measurement approach, the conference championship games underperformed compared to last year.
The Patriots versus Denver Broncos matchup drew 48.6 million viewers, while Los Angeles Rams against the Seahawks pulled in 46 million.
By comparison, the previous year saw Washington Commanders versus Eagles attract 44.2 million viewers, while Chiefs against the Buffalo Bills reached a massive 57.4 million.
None of this suggests any failure on those involved. The Super Bowl remains the most-watched event of the year, a result that will leave NBC highly satisfied.
But reaching the extraordinary bar set by last year is unrealistic, and without free streaming access and star power, Fox‘s record looks to be safe for now.
