Pro Bowl Posts Highest Rating in a Decade

ESPN scored the highest rating for a Pro Bowl in a decade, averaging 12.3 million viewers during its coverage of the 2010 Pro Bowl in Miami. The AFC’s 41-34 victory was the most watched since the 2000 edition of the NFL’s all-star game notched 13.2 million viewers on ABC.

After moving the game to the week before the Super Bowl rather the week following the big game, the NFL saw a 40% increase from last year’s 8.8 million viewers that watched on NBC. In addition, attendance at the game, which was previously held in Hawaii, was the highest during the Super Bowl era, bringing in 70,697 people.

This year’s Pro Bowl also marked the most-watched all-star game in cable history, surpassing the 2003 NBA All-Star game, which featured Michael Jordan in his final appearance and was watched by 10.8 million people.