Super Bowl LIX achieved monumental success, amassing over $800 million in advertising revenue, with Fox Corporation attributing $200 million of this amount to its ad-supported streaming platform, Tubi. This remarkable figure is indicative of the shifting dynamics within the television viewing habits of audiences, particularly as sports more frequently migrate to digital platforms.
According to Fox, the traditional broadcast of Super Bowl LIX garnered $600 million, marking it as one of the most lucrative broadcasts to date. CEO Lachlan Murdoch expressed pride over this stellar performance, stating, "Congratulations to our teams at Fox Sports and Tubi for a record-breaking and historic Super Bowl LIX, the most-watched, most-streamed, and most successful Super Bowl ever." This statement emphasizes the significance of Tubi as it stands out as the first network-owned FAST (free ad-supported streaming television) platform to offer a live feed of the prestigious NFL championship game.
Viewership for the event was equally impressive, with Fox reporting an average audience of 127.7 million viewers. The broadcast peaked at nearly 138 million during the second quarter (8 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. ET), underscoring the event's appeal. On Tubi alone, 13.7 million viewers streamed some or all content, adding valuable data to Fox's streaming success metrics. Fox’s integration of Tubi not only broadened its audience reach but also showcased the promise of digital streaming platforms within mainstream sports broadcasting.
The halftime show, headlined by Kendrick Lamar, set its own records, capturing the attention of 133.5 million viewers across all platforms during his performance. This surpassed the previous high set by Michael Jackson during Super Bowl XXVII, which had 133.4 million viewers according to Nielsen data. Lamar's performance was anticipated not just for its entertainment value, but also amid significant media interest due to his public feud with fellow artist Drake.
This year's Super Bowl embraced innovation with Tubi reporting 15.5 million peak concurrent streaming viewers, and 24 million unique viewers throughout the event. The platform also delivered 4K live streaming through its state-of-the-art facilities, facilitating the monster viewership numbers achieved on game day. The combination of Tubi and Fox’s efforts to create compelling content significantly increased viewer interaction across all platforms.
Fox's CEO acknowledged the remarkable collaboration and strategy behind the event's planning, highlighting not only the achievements of Tubi but also the capabilities of Fox Sports. "The clear winners Sunday night were the Eagles, the NFL, and Fox. Our approach to the Super Bowl has set benchmarks not just for viewership, but also for integrating traditional sports broadcasting with the digital ecosystem effectively," remarked Murdoch.
With the Super Bowl achieving record advertising revenues and viewership, Fox Corporation's strategic vision focuses on merging traditional and digital assets to attract advertising dollars effectively. This multi-platform approach reflects the changing media consumption patterns, especially among sports fans who increasingly turn to streaming for live content.
This integration demonstrated by Tubi's performance and the Super Bowl's overall success could serve as a model for future high-profile sporting events. The unprecedented engagement across all platforms reinforces the idea of the interconnectedness between traditional sports broadcasting and the evolution of digital viewership habits.
Fox's ability to leverage its existing assets for effective streaming and partnering with platforms like Tubi showcases the potential for continued growth as they venture forward with more live sports broadcasts. The 2025 Super Bowl has not only set records but perhaps illuminated the future of sports broadcasting where digital and traditional methods coexist seamlessly, catering to the demands of modern audiences.