Super Bowl XLVIII most-watched television show in U.S. history

NEW YORK, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Super Bowl XLVIII was the most-watched show in U.S. television history with an average audience of 111.5 million people, the Fox network announced Monday.

Despite the blowout 43-8 victory by the Seattle Seahawks over the Denver Broncos Sunday, the viewership surpassed the previous record of 111.3 million viewers set by the much closer Super Bowl XLVI, which pitted the New York Giants against the New England Patriots on NBC, the network said.

The game also became the most-watched program ever on Fox, breaking the 111 million viewer mark the network set for Super Bowl XLV, which featured the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Three of the last four Super Bowls set average viewership records.

Super Bowl XLVIII garnered a 46.4 Nielsen rating and 69 percent audience share, peaking at 47.9/71 in the first half -- the highest Super Bowl rating ever recorded.