NYC, NY, UNITED STATES (AHN) -- NBC scored big with the rights to broadcast the 46th Super Bowl.

Sunday night's game between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots drew a record 111.3 million people. The head-to-head, down-to-the-wire, nail bitting game proved to be a touchdown for NBC.

Super Bowl XLVI drew 111.3 million people, slightly more viewers than last year's matchup that had 111 million tune in.

According to data from Nielson, about 47 percent of U.S. households with televisions watched the broadcast.

But, because of the ever growing U.S. population, the percentage figure put Sunday's numbers only at No. 12 on the all-time list. In comparison, about 60 percent of households with TVs watched the final episode of M*A*S*H in 1983, Nielsen reports.

The good news and good numbers for NBC, and the mostly rave reviews of Madonna's 12 minute halftime performance, were overshadowed by rapper M.I.A.'s obscene finger gesture.

The British singer, whose given name is Mathamngi Arulpragasam, gave the "royal salute" while singing along with Madonna and Nicki Manaj during the halftime show.

Many viewers called in with complaints, and many others missed it with all that was going on stage. It is still unclear whether the Federal Communication Commission would require it a violation of indecency rules and impose a hefty fine like the one CBS was slapped with after the infamous Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction in 2004. The breast-revealing stint coast CBS $550,000.

NBC and the NFL both apologized for the inappropriate display and seemed to point the finger at each other for the blame.

M.I.A. was "mia" as far as a comment was concerned about her finger malfunction.

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