Super Bowl LVIII earned the largest number of female viewers ever, likely thanks to the Taylor Swift effect, according to a report.
On Monday, the NFL noted that the game averaged 123.4 million viewers on CBS platforms, the most viewers in history and seven percent more than the 115.1 million viewers who tuned into the Super Bowl last year, according to the New York Post.
Analysts claim that several factors drew the huge audience, including the overtime segment and the fact that both the Chiefs and the 49ers were popular teams with notable backstories.
But another leading factor is the attendance of mega pop star Taylor Swift.
Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs and Taylor Swift embrace after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in overtime during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Swift became the toast of the NFL after starting a whirlwind romance with Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce.
Perhaps because of the “Swift effect,” the game earned 58.8 million female viewers, the most female viewers in history. It is nine percent more than last year.
Women clocked in as 47.5 percent of the Super Bowl audience last weekend. The previous high was 47.1 percent for the 2015 Super Bowl.
This year’s audience was also younger.
Travis Kelce, #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs, and Taylor Swift react as they see Mecole Hardman Jr., #12 of the Kansas City Chiefs, following the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
“There were 15.4 million viewers in the 12-17 demo, up 6 percent from last year, and the 18-34 demo had 23.0 million viewers, a 10 percent bump from last year,” the Post added.
The NFL restrained itself during the big game and only showed Swift a few times and for only 54 seconds. Despite that, her presence at the game apparently brought the youngsters in droves.
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