The Academy of Country Music Awards needed more than 25,000 people in attendance at AT&T Stadium to break the Guinness World Record title for highest attendance at an awards show broadcast. It came as no surprise when the Guinness adjudicator confirmed that the crowd of 70,252 in Arlington was plenty large enough.
Guinness Adjudicator Michael Empric confirmed the number in a press conference during the ACM Awards.
"As we like to say, everything is bigger in the state of Texas, including ceremonies like this," said Gov. Greg Abbott, who was in attendance at the presentation. He also said he was pleased to "smash records."
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones called it a "dream" to host the ACM Awards on his home turf.
The band Alabama was also honored with a Guinness World Record for most consecutive wins at entertainer of the year at the ACM Awards, at five.
"It's quite a surprise," guitarist Randy Owen said as he accepted the award. "Are you sure about this?"
"I knew we had the 'most miles on the bus award,'" joked Teddy Gentry of Alabama.
After Owen, Gentry and Jeff Cook received their honor, they sang a harmonized tune as a thank-you to Guinness World Records.
[UPDATE at noon April 20, 2015: According to Nielsen data, the show was the most-watched ACM Awards since 1998. It ranked No. 1 as "most social broadcast of the day," too, reports Nielson Social.]
