More than one million television viewers in the United Kingdom tuned in to watch Super Bowl XXXVII from San Diego on January 26, it was announced today.

According to consolidated figures released today by the Broadcaster Audience Research Board (BARB), Channel Five, the NFL’s terrestrial (over-the-air) television partner, peaked at 721,435 viewers during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 48-21 victory over the Oakland Raiders. Sky Sports One’s viewership peaked at 310,574 — giving a combined peak live audience of 1,032,009.

The one-million mark represents an increase of more than 400% over the live viewing audience for last year’s Super Bowl in the UK, and more than doubles the number that watched the game in 1998 – the last time it was on terrestrial television. This year’s increase follows the NFL’s investment in a major marketing and promotion campaign to publicize the Super Bowl broadcasts.

Five’s Super Bowl broadcast was promoted every night during Super Bowl week by airing a 30-minute magazine show entitled ‘Inside The Road To Super Bowl.’ The show, produced by NFL Films, marked the NFL’s return to prime-time programming in the UK on terrestrial television for the first time in 15 years.

‘To reach our target of one million viewers is a great achievement,’ says DOUG QUINN, NFL senior vice-president. ‘Through the reintroduction of the game to terrestrial television on Five, our continuing relationship with Sky Sports, and a successful and aggressive marketing campaign, we were able to take the event to a much wider audience.’

To publicize the broadcasts, the NFL created a promotional campaign that included television promotional spots; print, radio and outdoor advertising; in-store promotions; media promotions; and outdoor events.

The campaign involved some of the leading brand names in the UK, including Budweiser, Reebok, GAME, EA Sports, The Sun, Daily Mirror, Daily Star and BT Broadband.

NFL International will carry this momentum in the UK into the 2003 season with a number of initiatives planned on the ground and a weekly show scheduled to air terrestrially on Five.

For further information please contact:

National Football League:
Joe Browne
Executive Vice President-Communications
T: (212) 450-2000
F: (212) 681-7573
W: www.NFLMedia.com