Canada Sets New SUPER BOWL Audience Record with SUPER BOWL XLIX Attracting 9.23 Million Viewers on CTV and RDS

– More than one-in-two Canadians (55% of the country) watched some or all of last night's SUPER BOWL XLIX broadcast on CTV and RDS –
– 12.2 million fans tune in to hear Katy Perry roar in the dazzling halftime show –
– MASTERCHEF CANADA attracts 1.35 million viewers in the coveted post-SUPER BOWL timeslot, outperforming THE BLACKLIST on Global by 46% –
– Canadian brands such as Canadian Armed Forces, the Government of Canada, Loblaws, Manulife Financial, Rocky Mountaineer, Scotiabank, Suncor, Tim Hortons, and Wind Mobile benefit from the biggest platform on Canadian TV, joining U.S. creative from Coca-Cola, Disney, Doritos and more on CTV –

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TORONTO, Feb. 2, 2015 /CNW/ - Last night's epic SUPER BOWL XLIX on CTV and RDS set a new all-time SUPER BOWL Canadian audience record. Preliminary overnight data from Numeris (BBM Canada) confirms that an average audience of 9.2 million viewers on CTV and RDS (CTV: 8.2 million; RDS: 1 million) watched the New England Patriots' nail-biting 28-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. This marks a 13% increase compared to the previous all-time SUPER BOWL record (8.18 million viewers for 2012's SUPER BOWL XLVI) and a 16% increase compared to last year's SUPER BOWL XLVIII (7.94 million viewers).

Overall, 19.3 million unique viewers – or more than one-in-two Canadians (55%) – watched some part of the 2014-15 NFL championship on CTV or RDS. Scoring the coveted post-SUPER BOWL timeslot, the Season 2 premiere of the CTV original series MASTERCHEF CANADA attracted a preliminary overnight audience of 1.35 million viewers – outperforming THE BLACKLIST (929,000 viewers on Global/NBC) by 46% among total viewers.

"Last night's SUPER BOWL XLIX was a down-to-the-wire thriller that lived up to its billing as the biggest event on TV," said Phil King, President – CTV, Sports, and Entertainment Programming. "Once again, millions of Canadians were entertained by a blockbuster game, a dazzling halftime show, and some fantastic creative representing Canadian and international brands."

Bell Media's CTV, TSN, and RDS are the official broadcasters of the NFL in Canada.

Ratings Highlights

• With shooting stars, a giant robot tiger, and those unforgettable dancing sharks, the roaring halftime performance by Katy Perry (alongside special guests Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliott) captivated Canadians, as audience levels for SUPER BOWL XLIX on CTV and RDS peaked with an average minute audience of 12.2 million viewers during the highly-anticipated halftime show
• SUPER BOWL XLIX's halftime show saw a double digit growth of 23%* over last year's broadcast
• The game on CTV received more than 50% or higher shares among all key adult demos in all markets in English Canada
• Fans in the Vancouver market showed their support for the cross-border Seahawks, with SUPER BOWL XLIX receiving more than a 70% share (2+ and all key adult demos)  
• RDS scored its highest SUPER BOWL audience ever, with SUPER BOWL XLIX attracting 1 million viewers on RDS across Canada

Top 5 SUPER BOWL audiences on Canadian television (CTV and RDS)

1. SUPER BOWL XLIX in 2015 – Patriots 28-Seahawks 24 – 9.23 million
2. SUPER BOWL XLVI in 2012 – Giants 21-Patriots 17 – 8.18 million
3. SUPER BOWL XLVIII in 2014 – Seahawks 43-Broncos 8 – 7.94 million
4. SUPER BOWL XLVII in 2013 – Ravens 34-49ers 31 – 7.38 million
5. SUPER BOWL XLV in 2011 – Packers 31-Steelers 25 – 7.29 million

Sponsors and Advertising
Once again, the SUPER BOWL was the hottest television property for Canadian advertisers and a coveted platform for key sponsors, including Labatt Breweries of Canada, Ford of Canada, and Nissan Canada Inc. Additional Canadian brands showcased during SUPER BOWL XLIX included Canadian Armed Forces, CIBC, the Government of Canada, Home Hardware, Hubub, The Keg, Loblaws, Manulife Financial, PC Financial, Rocky Mountaineer, Scotiabank, Suncor, Tim Hortons, Wind Mobile, and more. Canadians also saw much-buzzed about U.S. creative on the CTV broadcast, including trailers for The Avengers, Jurassic World, and Tomorrowland, as well as ads for Clash of Clans, Coca-Cola, Doritos, and Game of War.

"A big thank you to all of the Canadian marketers who once again used CTV's SUPER BOWL broadcast to reinforce their brands to a distinctly Canadian audience, such as Budweiser's Home of Goals ad," said Perry MacDonald, Senior Vice-President, CTV Sales. "Last night's record audience proves once again there is no better opportunity for Canadian advertisers to strike a chord with Canadian viewers than the SUPER BOWL."

Bell Media also delivered a multi-million dollar promotional campaign showcasing seven of its original Canadian productions, including SAVING HOPE, MOTIVE, BITTEN, 19-2, ORPHAN BLACK, AIRSHOW, and MASTERCHEF CANADA, which received the coveted post-SUPER BOWL timeslot for its second-season premiere.

MASTERCHEF CANADA
Ranking as the top non-sports program of the day with total viewers and in all key demos, the Season 2 premiere of MASTERCHEF CANADA saw triple-digit advantages over THE BLACKLIST in the key demos (+106% A25-54; +138% A18-34; and +134% A18-49). Featuring the first round of auditions, the MASTERCHEF CANADA premiere reached 5.4 million Canadians. For viewers who missed the first episode, it is currently streaming on demand on CTV GO and CTV.ca, and is set to encore Friday, Feb. 6 at 9 p.m. ET on M3, Saturday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. ET on CTV Two, and Sunday, Feb. 8 at 5 p.m. ET/PT on CTV. MASTERCHEF CANADA moves to its regular Sunday at 7 p.m. ET/PT timeslot beginning Feb. 8 on CTV.

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About CTV
CTV is Canada's #1 private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV has been Canada's most-watched television network for the past 13 years in a row. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, digital, and Out-of-Home. Bell Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. More information about CTV can be found on the network's website at CTV.ca.

Source: Numeris (BBM Canada), Super Bowl XLIX (6:31–10:07 PM)

*Overnight vs. overnight

Audiences prior to August 31, 2009 are based on BBM Nielsen Media Research Mark II meters.
CTV electronic audience databases incorporate data beginning in 1994.

SOURCE CTV