As many Americans prepare to settle in and watch the Super Bowl with beer, chips and other unhealthy snacks, many of us will be watching the big game on a new high-definition TV. The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) estimates 2.6 million HDTVs are purchased leading up to today, specifically for the Super Bowl.
Despite a struggling global economy that has forced many consumers to watch their budgets -- especially when it comes to electronics and other entertainment technologies -- it seems an exception can be made when it comes to football. An estimated one billion people across the world watch the game, which will feature the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Arizona Cardinals.
"Even in this tough economy HDTV growth has remained strong and steady," CEA Senior V.P. for industry affairs said in a statement. “Since the early days of HD, sporting events have lead the way in high-def broadcasts. Sixty percent of consumers said the Super Bowl is one of their favorite sports to watch in HD. It is no surprise that most Americans would not think of hosting a Super Bowl party without watching the game in HD.”
Around 2.4 million HDTVs were sold because of the 2008 Super Bowl, and this special Sunday will be the main motivator for people to purchase a new TV for the fourth consecutive year. According to the CEA, there were around 2 to 2.5 million "Super Bowl TVs" sold in 2007.
The price of HDTVs has significantly dropped over the past year, and many more consumers -- in the U.S. and across the world -- will leave behind standard-definition TVs and purchase newer HDTV sets. CEA is predicting 29.8 million HDTVs will ship throughout 2009, which is a slight increase over the 26.8 million sold last year.
