NEW ORLEANS —
More than 179 million people are expected to watch Sunday’s Super Bowl, according to a survey from the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association.
That would be an increase from the 172.5 million who watched last year’s game.
The average game watcher will spend $68.54 on new televisions for viewing parties, snacks, decor and athletic apparel, up from $63.87 last year.
Total Super Bowl spending is expected to reach nearly $12.3 billion.
As for the commercials during the game, more than three-quarters of viewers (76.6 percent) say they see the commercials as entertainment, up from 73 percent last year. Overall, when asked what they thought was the most important part of the Super Bowl, 45.3 percent of viewers said it is the game, and more than one-quarter (26.2 percent) said it is the commercials.
Other retail notes regarding the Super Bowl, according to the survey:
More than 7.5 million households will buy a new television, compared to 5.1 million last year. (Young adults — ages 18-24 — are the most likely to purchase new televisions.)
More than 39 million people will throw a party.
Another 59.9 million will attend a party.
More than 10.1 million people will watch the game at a restaurant or bar.
The Retail Advertising and Marketing Association’s 2013 Super Bowl spending survey was conducted by BIGinsight. The poll of 5,815 consumers was conducted Jan. 2-9, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.3 percentage points.
The Retail Advertising and Marketing Association is a division of the National Retail Federation.
The Super Bowl airs this year on CBS.
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