‘Puppy Bowl XII’ Paws Its Way to 2.2 Million Viewers

‘Puppy Bowl XII’ Paws Its Way to 2.2 Million Viewers

“Puppy Bowl XII” marathon clawed its way to 2.2 million viewers on Sunday against Super Bowl 50.

The 12-hour “Puppy Bowl” marathon that aired from 3 p.m. Sunday to 3 a.m. Monday pulled in 9.3 million viewers overall.

The previous “Puppy Bowl” scored 2.8 million human viewers in its first airing, meaning the program dropped about 21 percent year over year. Across the entire 2015 12-hour marathon, “Puppy Bowl XI” had accumulated 10.4 million total viewers.

Also Read: Super Bowl 50's 111.9 Million Viewers Down 2 Percent From Last Year's Record High

Hallmark’s “Kitten Bowl,” which began three hours earlier, has yet to unveil its own ratings. Last year’s second installment landed 1.3 million total viewers, though its year over year growth was greater than the canine competition.

If you’re more interested in Homo sapien sports, Super Bowl 50 scored 111.9 million total viewers. Nevertheless, “Puppy Bowl XII” was the number two show on TV in the adults 25-54 demographic behind only CBS and their Super Bowl coverage during the 3-5 p.m.

Animal Planet worked with 44 rescue groups in 25 states across the U.S. The network has been hosting Road to the Puppy Bowl adoption events throughout the year in local communities across the country and is responsible for thousands of pet adoptions.

Also Read: Conan O'Brien Parodies Cam Newton's Abrupt Super Bowl Press Conference Exit

“Puppy Bowl XII” was produced for Animal Planet by Discovery Studios. Simon Morris is the co-executive producer and Josh Wilkins is the vice president of production for Discovery Studios. For Animal Planet, Melinda Toporoff is the executive producer and Pat Dempsey is the associate producer.

Related stories from TheWrap:

'Puppy Bowl XII' Referee Reveals 3 Players to Watch, Recalls Animal Planet Audition

Puppy Bowl XII's Cuteness Gets Virtual Reality Treatment (Video)

Beyonce Reigns: Super Bowl 50 Half-Time Show Tops Most Tweeted Moments