Super Bowl 60 Ratings: Bad Bunny’s Halftime Show & NBCUniversal’s Success
- Super Bowl 60 delivered the second-highest viewership in the history of the event, averaging 124.9 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, NBC Sports Digital, and NFL+, according to...
- The strong performance underscores the enduring appeal of live sports as a television event, even as streaming continues to fragment the media landscape.
- Beyond the broadcast on traditional television, streaming platform Peacock experienced its “best day ever” in terms of reach and hours streamed.
Super Bowl 60 delivered the second-highest viewership in the history of the event, averaging 124.9 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, NBC Sports Digital, and NFL+, according to broadcaster NBCUniversal. While down slightly from the record-breaking 127.7 million who tuned in to Super Bowl 59 on Fox, the game—a 29-13 victory for the Seattle Seahawks over the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California—remained a massive draw for advertisers and media companies.
The strong performance underscores the enduring appeal of live sports as a television event, even as streaming continues to fragment the media landscape. NBCUniversal reported a peak viewership of 137.8 million during the second quarter of the game, making it the most-watched program in the company’s history. Telemundo also achieved a milestone, averaging 3.3 million viewers and becoming the most-watched Super Bowl in U.S. Spanish-language television history.
Beyond the broadcast on traditional television, streaming platform Peacock experienced its “best day ever” in terms of reach and hours streamed. The debut of the series “The Burbs” following the game marked the highest Day 1 viewership for any original program on the platform.
Halftime Show Drives Engagement, Sparks Controversy
The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show, headlined by Bad Bunny, averaged 128.2 million viewers between 8:15 p.m. And 8:30 p.m. ET. While this figure represents a decrease from the 133.5 million viewers who watched Kendrick Lamar’s performance at Super Bowl 59, NBCUniversal highlighted a significant surge in social media engagement. Total social consumption of the halftime show reached a record four billion views within the first 24 hours, a 137% increase year-over-year, as measured by Ripple Analytics.
The halftime show also became a focal point of political debate. Former President Donald Trump publicly criticized Bad Bunny’s performance, calling it a “slap in the face” to the United States. This controversy, however, did little to dampen the show’s overall impact on viewership and social media buzz.
Data and measurement company EDO reported that Bad Bunny’s performance generated incremental engagement levels comparable to those of halftime performers from the past five Super Bowls. In contrast, the counterprogramming effort by Turning Point USA, featuring Kid Rock, generated only a fraction of the engagement seen with Bad Bunny.
Advertising Revenue Reaches Record Levels
Super Bowl 60 also proved to be a lucrative event for NBCUniversal’s advertising sales team. The company announced a complete sellout of its Super Bowl inventory in September 2025, a month earlier than Fox’s sellout for Super Bowl 59. A “handful” of 30-second commercials commanded price tags of $10 million or more, setting a new Super Bowl record.
Mark Marshall, NBCU’s ads president, attributed the strong demand to a combination of strategic planning and marketplace conditions. The simultaneous offering of advertising packages encompassing both the Super Bowl and the Winter Olympics further fueled interest.
The technology sector emerged as a dominant force in Super Bowl advertising, accounting for 23% of all ad spend, driven by companies showcasing artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Consumer packaged goods, entertainment, finance, and alcoholic beverages also represented significant advertising categories.
Commercial Standouts and Future Outlook
Budweiser’s 60-second spot, “American Icons,” topped the USA Today Ad Meter for the second consecutive year. MrBeast generated the most engagement among celebrities featured in Super Bowl commercials. Celebrity endorsements, however, saw a slight decrease in compensation compared to previous years.
Looking ahead, Super Bowl 61 is scheduled to take place on Valentine’s Day, , marking the first time the event will be held on that date. Disney will be responsible for broadcasting the game from SoFi Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams.
The continued strong performance of the Super Bowl, both in terms of viewership and advertising revenue, reinforces its position as a cornerstone event in the American cultural and economic calendar. The combination of live sports, high-profile entertainment, and innovative advertising continues to attract a massive audience and generate significant value for media companies and brands alike.