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Steeler Nation, Cheeseheads Set TV Viewing Record

ARLINGTON, Texas (KDKA/AP) - Steeler Nation and Cheeseheads watched their team in record numbers and stayed glued to the television until the final drive in Super Bowl XLV.

For the second year in a row, the Super Bowl has set a record for American television viewing.

On Monday, Nielsen estimated 111 million people watched the Super Bowl. That number tops last year's 106.5 million viewers for the Super Bowl when Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints beat Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts.

Before last year's Super Bowl, the most watched television show in the U.S. was the series finale of "M-A-S-H," 27 years ago. The "M-A-S-H" series finale was watched by 106 million people.

According to TiVo the most watched single play was the Steelers' final drive in the fourth quarter; when Ben Roethlisberger threw an incomplete pass on fourth down to clinch the Super Bowl for Green Bay.

Nielsen Co. said CBS, Fox and NBC averaged 20 million viewers for Sunday's games during the season, up 13 percent over last year.

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