From winners to chicken wings: 56 years of Super Bowl data

Well, another Super Bowl is in the books, and unfortunately for this lifelong Minnesota Vikings fan, it did not end with my team holding up the Vince Lombardi Trophy in triumph.

In fact, the game did not even include the Vikings. But I’ll be OK. Given how long it’s been since the Vikes last played in the Super Bowl (45 years, for those who must know), I’m used to watching other squads participate in the biggest professional gridiron game of the year.

This year, that distinction belonged to the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals, with the Rams coming out on top in a nail-biter, 23-20. So, congrats to the Rams and their fans.

Of course, like a lot of people without a rooting interest in the outcome, I still tuned in. The Super Bowl has become one of the biggest party days of the year in the U.S. Just look at the data (below). Whether we’re talking viewership, Nielsen ratings, the cost of a commercial, or even the amount of chicken wings consumed, the numbers tend to go up every year.

Play around with the charts and you’ll see what I mean. Two of the more interesting things I discovered were: 1) the very first Super Bowl, in 1967, was actually broadcast on two networks, with CBS scoring a decisive victory over NBC—both in viewers and in ad pricing; and 2) there haven’t been many repeat matchups over the course of the game’s storied, 56-year history. Weird.

What fun facts can you find?