[Medianext.MX]

Have to agree with others that the new CBS graphics are a downgrade. The only change I like is that there a line above the team in possession to show they are in possession. Previously, the only way on their graphic to establish that was that the down indicator was the same colour. So that's a little clearer, not much else is better. I think it's Amazon that's the least clear possession indicator.

For anyone who hasn't seen the touched-up CBS scoreboard, here it is, what a mess indeed, Aktiv Grotesk and Flama instead of TT Norms:

forums.tvnewstalk.net 

The best bits of the Nickelodeon broadcast.

Was this available outside the US at all?

youtu.be 

The Nick broadcast was indeed much better than what the Eye delivered, but I think was only available in Canada (through Bell's TSN+ streamer). Full of tongue-in-cheek jokes on celebrities, both in the play-by-play booth and on the graphics, full of references to SpongeBob itself, and even with a product placement for the new Paramount Sonic movie. Even some celebs (Swift and Kelce, Timothée Chamelet, Snoop Dogg...) got the SpongeBob treatment. Here's how Tom Kenny (SpongeBob) and Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick Star) worked the booth:

twitter.com 

In the UK, the broadcast itself has had a positive review too:

www.theguardian.com 

Nickelodeon’s Super Bowl broadcast: an ingenious, wildly chaotic splash | Super …
The first alternate Super Bowl telecast for kids was a brilliant feat of marketi…
  Source: www.theguardian.com

The CBS broadcast had their play-by-play duo of Jim Nantz and Tony Romo, and certainly Romo's commentary is starting to wear off. This moment which went viral on social media doesn't make things much better:

twitter.com 

---

Univision's didn't take the CBS feed fully (they took the NFL Media world feed, although cued themselves to the Eye for commercials:

forums.tvnewstalk.net 

And the NFL Network itself aired their traditional, data-laden GameCenter special, taking the Westwood One audio feed with real-time Amazon-provided stats:

forums.tvnewstalk.net 

forums.tvnewstalk.net 

---

Now, down to New Orleans next year, with Fox (and probably Fox Deportes) being the official broadcaster:

x.com 

Under the new 2023 contract, the rotation increases to four, with CBS already having its turn. Now Fox is next for LIX, with NBC airing LX (in connection with the Milan Winter Olympics). As of this contract, ABC will return to the rotation as part of ESPN's renewal of MNF rights (which allows ABC to air some MNF games), and will air Super Bowl LXI and LXV under the deal.

[Medianext.MX]

Over a million viewers across Sky and ITV for last night.

I never knew the ratings shut down at 2am, though apart from some sport, breaking news and simulcasts of US premieres, I guess there is not much worth recording data for after then.

First US ratings are in… worth noting that these number are from a non-Nielsen researcher and maybe even do not fully reflect the actual numbers that might be released later in the week. Nevertheless, the Swift factor could have worked…

www.tvtechnology.com 

Super Bowl LVIII Wrap Up: Viewing Numbers Up, Paramount+ Stumbles | TV Tech
A promotion for a new upscale soda was among the most popular ads
  Source: www.tvtechnology.com

As the article states, Paramount+ (which offered a 1080p HDR stream) suffered from really major issues when users streamed the game, including app crashes and video not playing. Worse, virtual cable providers and other streamers also suffered from a higher rate of delays in respect to the OTA broadcasts.

www.newscaststudio.com 

Thousands of users report issues with Paramount+ during Super Bowl LVIII - Newsc…
Frustrated Paramount+ subscribers took to social media after the streamer starte…
  Source: www.newscaststudio.com

[Brekkie]

Those ratings seem meaningless as we know the ratings will be significantly more than 39m.

No surprise about issues with Paramount+ - streaming just isn't built for the most popular of live TV events.

[mark]

That CBS set looks incredible, obviously the background and good weather helps to elevate it.

It was fantastic. CBS Mornings used it too at the end of last week - it looked just as good in the dark (they were live from 4-6am PT due to the time difference).

youtu.be 

I wonder if the team in the studio for the game would have rather been in the stadium than on the Strip, though.

[mouseboy33]

Here is the full pictures of the set. It was well done and lit well. Nice job by CBS. No over done either.
www.sportsvideo.org 

www.reviewjournal.com 

www.sportsbusinessjournal.com 

bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com 

[Medianext.MX]

And we have the US full ratings... and it's a record! Most-watched Super Bowl ever and the second most watched TV broadcast of all time in US network TV history (after the Apollo 11 moon landing, simulcast by all networks) with 123.4 million viewers, largely buoyed by the heavy hype about Taylor Swift, of which 120 million (approximately) came from the Eye and 2.3 million from Univision. No figures for Nick's alternate telecast though, although Paramount+ has reportedly set a "record-setting audience", surprising given the technical issues they had:

x.com 

twitter.com 

TelevisaUnivision also drew a larger audience in Mexico of around 16.8 million viewers, beating easily competitor TV Azteca:

twitter.com 

Bell Media's broadcast in Canada (aired on CTV/TSN and RDS, but not Noovo) amassed jointly 10 million viewers:

www.tsn.ca 

SUPER BOWL LVIII Becomes Most-Watched SUPER BOWL on Record with 10M Viewers on T…
The thrilling SUPER BOWL LVIII overtime win that saw the Kansas City Chiefs secu…
  Source: www.tsn.ca

And in Germany, where RTL is in the first year of their long-term contract (replacing ProSiebenSat.1 Media), first reports suggest there has been an increase in viewer reach (although the record is still held by ProSieben's final transmission last season, ratings reports cut at 0200 CET):

www.dwdl.de 

Super Bowl: Keine Rekorde für RTL, aber mehr Fans als 2023 - DWDL.de
Der Super Bowl hat in der Nacht zu Montag für Spitzen-Quoten gesorgt und be…
  Source: www.dwdl.de

media.rtl.com 

RTL Media Hub - Kommunikation
Einen Quoten-Touchdown im Spielerparadies landete RTL in der Nacht zum Montag…
  Source: media.rtl.com

[Gary McEwan]

Any idea what the ratings were on CBS Sports Network leading up to the game? Ever since CBS started the Champions League coverage, Kate Abdo and her motley crew (I say that jokingly) seem to be attracting the viewers as well.

[RhysJR]

Especially after Sunday, it seems that the tide of public opinion is increasingly turning against Tony Romo in the role of CBS' lead NFL co-commentator.

He's now four years into a lucrative 10 year contract, and CBS are now four years away from their next Super Bowl. Whether they want to take a plunge on replacing Romo with those numbers in mind is quite the question. As the Awful Announcing article notes, Greg Olsen is to be demoted from Fox's lead team for Tom Brady's arrival next season, so could be tempted over.

awfulannouncing.com 

Is it time for CBS to move on from Tony Romo?
After his Super Bowl performance that left critics emboldened, is it time for CB…
  Source: awfulannouncing.com

eu.usatoday.com 

Tony Romo may have ruined the Super Bowl broadcast: Analysis
Skip to main content #navWrapContainer{border-bottom:1px solid #e0e0e0;position:…
  Source: eu.usatoday.com

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I wonder if the team in the studio for the game would have rather been in the stadium than on the Strip, though.

Certainly at half-time, CBS' main studio was pitchside rather than on the Strip. I think it was all their top team there, but I'm not sure when they would have relocaated.

[mark]

Certainly at half-time, CBS' main studio was pitchside rather than on the Strip. I think it was all their top team there, but I'm not sure when they would have relocaated.

Thanks for the info. I guess that, if they had to relocate during the first half, they'd have seen even less of the game - although the Bellagio isn't far from the Allegiant.

[Rdd]

I don’t really like commenting on individual personalities, for obvious reasons, but I’d be disappointed if that was the end of Romo in the CBS booth (and I presume it would be a lot of money to buy him out with six years of the contract remaining). He’s been a total breath of fresh air with an uncanny knack of predicting what calls will be made and sometimes it seems his main crime is to be too enthusiastic, he’s hardly the analyst most guilty of that charge.

Elsewhere there are reports that while not a done deal, ESPN is likely to seal a renewal of its rights to the College Football Playoff. This is a surprise, as with the expansion to a 12 team four round format (over the current semi finals and a final), there was some expectations of other broadcasters, particularly Fox, wanting in. It’s good news for us on this side of the globe as obviously ESPN have been selling the international rights to their games and Fox haven’t. (The Big Ten are now edging out the long dominant SEC as the pre-eminent conference, and while Sky will screen at least three college football games each week next season there won’t be a Big Ten game among them as their deal is specifically with ESPN, while Big Ten games are split between Fox, NBC, and CBS, who promoted the Big Ten on CBS at one point during the Super Bowl - it will be moving full time into the former SEC slot this year after having to live around it in the first season of the deal).