Super Bowl sets records for TV viewership and wagering
The Kansas City Chiefs’ overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl on Sunday was the most-watched television program in U.S. history, according to preliminary data released by Nielsen and CBS.
According to CBS, which broadcast the game, the Super Bowl averaged 123.4 million viewers across all platforms, breaking the mark of 115.1 million set during last year’s Super Bowl between the Chiefs and Philadelphia.
CBS said 202.4 million viewers watched at least part of the game, breaking the record of 184 million for last year’s Super Bowl.
The total of 123.4 million includes viewers of simulcasts on Nickelodeon, Univision, Paramount+, NFL+ and other NFL digital properties.
The 120 million viewers who watched the game on CBS was a single-network record. CBS said the Paramount+ audience made it the most-streamed Super Bowl, as well.
The first Super Bowl in Las Vegas also was a record attraction for gamblers. Bettors wagered $185.6 million on the game at Nevada’s sportsbooks.
The amount eclipsed the state’s previous high for a Super Bowl, set in 2022, by nearly $6 million, according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
Nevada’s 182 sportsbooks recorded a $6.8 million win on the game, per the figures obtained by ESPN.
Bengals: Cincinnati is ● expected to use its franchise tag on wide receiver
Tee Higgins, The Athletic reported. Higgins, who turned 25 last month, is due to become a free agent in March. Tags must be issued by March 5. The tag would give the two sides more time to hammer out a long-term deal. Otherwise, he would play the 2024 season for a projected salary of $20.7 million.
GOLF Changes vowed for Phoenix event:
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Organizers of the WM Phoenix Open said they will make major changes in the way the event is run after rainy weather and the tournament’s usual huge and rowdy crowds led to the gates being closed to newly arriving ticket-holders Saturday afternoon and alcohol sales being suspended, ESPN.com reported. There also were heated interactions between players and fans.
"I think that you will see a complete operational change of how we manage, really, our Friday and Saturday, but the entire week," said Chance Cozby, the executive director of the Thunderbirds, the civic organization that hosts the tournament.
Large muddy areas limited places for fans to walk and sit.
Golfer Zach Johnson told the Arizona Republic that the organizers "probably need to do something about it. I'm assuming they're ashamed."
Johnson also said the tournament "has been inappropriate and crossed the line since I've been on tour and this is my 21st year."
TENNIS
Gauff loses: Czech
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Katerina Siniakova overcame a four-game deficit in the second set to upset second-seeded Coco Gauff, 6-2, 6-4, in the Qatar TotalEnergies Open on Tuesday in Doha. Gauff, of Delray Beach, was playing in her first match since reaching the
Australian Open semifinals late last month.
NBA
Spurs: Victor Wembanyama
● became the first rookie in nearly 34 years to have a triple-double that included double-digit blocked shots, leading San Antonio to a 122-99 victory at Toronto on Monday night. Wembanyama had 27 points, 14 rebounds and a career-best 10 blocks. The only other rookies to post a triple-double with blocked shots were the Spurs’ David Robinson (three times in 1989-90), Houston’s Ralph Sampson (1983-84) and Utah’s
Mark Eaton (1982-83). Wembanyama also had five assists and shot 10for-14 from the floor.
Suns: Phoenix is finalizing ● a deal with freeagent forward Thaddeus Young, ESPN reported. Young, 35, was waived by Brooklyn last week after arriving in a trade from
Toronto.
Thunder: Oklahoma
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City, in search of further size up front, signed veteran forward/center Bismack Biyombo, 31. Biyombo, 6-foot-8 and 255 pounds, averaged 5.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks with Memphis this season. The Thunder acquired forward Gordon Hayward from Charlotte just before the trade deadline.
Media: Game analyst ●
J.J. Redick, who joned ABC/ESPN in September 2021, will move up to the networks’ lead announcing team, The Athletic reported. He’ll join Mike Breen and Doris Burke, replacing Doc Rivers, who recently was named coach of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Burke and Rivers had replaced Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson, who were laid off. Redick, 39, was an NBA shooting guard for 15 years.