Sunday’s Super Bowl wasn’t only the most-watched telecast in US TV history — it was a boon for Animal Planet’s “Puppy Bowl.”
The network’s annual showcase of adorable pups romping around a miniature “football field” averaged 3.3 million viewers in its initial airing Sunday (3-5 p.m.) — up 24 percent over last year.
The entire 12-hour “Puppy Bowl” marathon pulled in a total of 13.5 million viewers — its largest audience ever.
Puppies weren’t the only cute and cuddly creatures drawing viewers by the millions on Super Bowl Sunday.
Hallmark Channel’s inaugural “Kitten Bowl” averaged 3.2 million viewers in its debut Feb. 2 from 12-3 p.m. That nearly equaled the 3.3 million viewers who tuned in for “Puppy Bowl X” on Animal Planet from 3-5 p.m.
The “Kitten Bowl” premiere combined with its three encores drew a total of 6.1 million viewers.