It’s not quite Super Bowl numbers, but Puppy Bowl XXII posted some monstrous ratings.
Warner Bros. Discovery reported 15.3 million viewers across Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS, truTV, HBO Max and discovery+ on Feb. 8.
That number makes it the No. 1 non-sports cable telecast of the day and marks the show’s best audience since 2018 -- an increase of 20% versus last year’s iteration.
The event smashed other major sporting events over the weekend, too. [According to Awful Announcing](https://awfulannouncing.com/ratings/puppy-bowl-best-viewership-since-2018.html), the PGA Tour’s WM Phoenix Open averaged 3.78 million viewers on CBS on Sunday afternoon while Duke and North Carolina averaged 3.51 million viewers on ESPN on Saturday night.
The NBA was no competition either, averaging 2.47 million viewers for Warriors-Lakers and 2.46 million viewers for Celtics-Knicks over the weekend.
Billed as a cute and family-friendly alternative to the Super Bowl, the [annual spectacle features puppies “competing”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mID5Dl6p9Tk) on a tiny stadium set with turf, toys, and a mini scoreboard.
They score “touchdowns” by carrying toys into the end zone while human referees call absurd penalties like “excessive cuteness.” At its core the event promotes pet adoption by highlighting shelters throughout the U.S. and encouraging responsible pet ownership. Cats are also featured during the Kitty Halftime Show.
“This year’s Puppy Bowl delivered its strongest performance in nearly a decade, and its success across linear and streaming highlights our unique ability to unite audiences around content that feels good and does good,” said Joseph Boyle, Head of Content, Discovery Channel. “We’re grateful to bring viewers so much joy and are deeply proud of the purpose at the heart of this event.”
Sunday’s telecast delivered ratings gains among adults 25–54 on both TBS and truTV, increasing 11% and 104% respectively, marking the highest‑rated Puppy Bowl broadcasts ever on those networks.