The Walking Dead is smart not to compete with the Super Bowl
By Adam Carlson
The Walking Dead is one of the most popular shows on television but the AMC zombie drama should not compete with the spectacle of the NFL’s Super Bowl.
When it comes to great television, it is hard to beat The Walking Dead. The show is among the most popular and most watched, but even the rating juggernaut has some events which it can’t compete with.
One of those events is the Super Bowl. Not only is “The Big Game” a great sporting event, but many individuals tune in to see the great commercials and a halftime show featuring some of the most popular musical talents in the world.
In fact, seventeen of the top twenty most televised events of all time belong to the NFL’s Super Bowl, with the other three being the series finale of M*A*S*H, part eight of Roots, and the boxing match between Leon Spinks vs. Muhammad Ali II according to Nielsen.
AMC’s zombie survival drama series has wisely made a habit of avoiding Super Bowl Sunday. This year, the season 9 midseason premiere will be one week after “The Big Game” airs, and it appears as though that is definitely on purpose.
The one week difference seems to be the standard with few exceptions. Here are the seasons in which the midseason premiere aired 7 days after the big game:
- Season 9 – Feb. 10, 2019
- Season 7 – Feb. 12, 2017
- Season 6 – Feb. 14, 2016
- Season 5 – Feb. 8, 2015
- Season 4 – Feb 9, 2014
- Season 3 – Feb. 10, 2013
- Season 2 – Feb. 12, 2012
The two notable exceptions from that list are season 8 and season 1. Of course, the first season of The Walking Dead was only six episodes long and did not have a midseason break. Meanwhile, the eighth season had a strange three-week delay after the Super Bowl for its midseason premiere.
Next. 10 things to look for in TWD season 9. dark
AMC is quite smart not to have the two go head-to-head. Not only would it create too much competition but it is respectful to both the NFL and the network that hosts The Walking Dead not to be in the same time slot. And thank goodness the two aren’t on at the same time since fans of professional football and the undead drama can enjoy them both during a live broadcast.