Monday's debate was the most watched in U.S. history

Monday's debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump captured at least 84 million viewers, making it the most-watched presidential debate in U.S. history and putting it in the stratosphere of the Super Bowl.

The Nielsen company said the viewership toppled a 36-year-old record set in 1980 when Jimmy Carter faced Ronald Reagan in the contest's sole presidential debate. That event attracted 80.6 million viewers. By comparison, the first debate between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney in 2012 averaged 67 million viewers.