Steelers-Cardinals Super Bowl the 2nd-best ever

[February 03, 2009]  NEW YORK (AP) -- An estimated 95.4 million people watched the Pittsburgh-Arizona Super Bowl, making it second only to last year's game as the most popular ever.

NBC was blessed with a thrilling finish, and viewership peaked late in the fourth quarter, according to Nielsen Media Research.

The 2008 game between the Giants and the Patriots had a similar come-from-behind, last-minute score for the victory. Two big markets and the novelty of a team trying to go 19-0 kicked the 2008 game to an audience of 97.4 million.

The only program other than a Super Bowl to top Sunday night's game in U.S. television history was the finale of the "M.A.S.H." series in 1983.

[Associated Press]

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