Supe most-watched show ever

Sunday’s instant-classic Super Bowl garnered record viewership, as a confluence of factors including a marquee matchup and the presence of Taylor Swift provided something for everyone.

Super Bowl LVIII averaged 123.4 million viewers across all platforms, according to CBS Sports, making it the mostwatched telecast in history.

The previous record of 115.1 million average viewers came during last year’s Super Bowl LVII, which the Chiefs won against the Eagles in a similarly down-to-the-wire affair.

Sunday’s game also set the record for unduplicated total audience, with 202.4 million people tuning in for at least part of the game, CBS Sports said. That lofty total represented a 10% increase over last year’s.

The historic audience was treated to an epic event Sunday, as the Chiefs needed overtime to defeat the 49ers, 25-22, and clinch their third championship in five years. The close game surely helped ratings, as did the popularity of the teams competing in it.

The Chiefs, meanwhile, feature the sport’s best quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, as well as Travis Kelce, whose months-long relationship with the chart-topping Swift attracted new fans this season and continues to draw tremendous attention.

A survey of nearly 800 U.S. adults conducted by the consumer research company Numerator found 20% of Super Bowl viewers said they were rooting for the Chiefs because of Swift, according to Variety.

The NFC’s top-seeded 49ers, too, boast big names across their roster, from Christian McCaffrey to Nick Bosa to their Mr. Irrelevant quarterback, Brock Purdy.

Mahomes was named Super Bowl MVP, making him the third player to win the award three times. Mahomes, 28, completed 73.9% of his passes for 333 yards and two touchdowns, the second of which served as a walk-off game-winner to wide receiver Mecole Hardman, whom the Jets cut midseason.