NEW YORK (AP) _ The Super Bowl was watched by more than 106
million people, surpassing the 1983 finale of ``M-A-S-H'' to become
the most-watched program in television history.
The Nielsen Co. estimated Monday that 106.5 million people
watched the New Orleans Saints upset the Indianapolis Colts. That
beats the ``M-A-S-H'' finale, which had 105.97 million viewers in
an era when there were fewer television sets.
Compelling story lines involving the city of New Orleans and its
recovery from Hurricane Katrina and the quest for a second Super
Bowl ring for Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning propelled the
viewership.
The game also obliterated the previous record viewership for a
Super Bowl _ last year's game between Arizona and Pittsburgh in
which 98.7 million people watched.