Watchdog

New York defeated Boston in the game that counts, but the Super Bowl XLII losers did beat the winning market in the ratings game, to the surprise of no one in the TV business.

The nation’s biggest market often lags when it comes to ratings for big sports events, and the biggest game of all was no exception, even with a local team involved.

In New York, an average of 44.9 percent of households watched the game, as did 67 percent of homes with a TV in use.

That ranked New York 32nd among 56 large markets measured in overnight ratings.

Boston was No. 1 at 55.6 percent of homes and a stunning 81 percent of those with a TV in use.

The rest of the top 10: Indianapolis (54.1/73), Jacksonville (52.0/71), Pittsburgh (50.8/69), Fort Myers (50.7/70), Washington, D.C. (50.3/73), Columbus (49.8/70), Kansas City (49.7/71), Milwaukee (49.7/68), Tampa (48.8/70).