**XXL TV Screens Take Market by Storm with Growing Popularity**

For some TV enthusiasts, screens just can't be big enough. Gone are the days when a 65-inch TV was considered large. This holiday season, manufacturers and retailers are introducing supersized screens that span over 8 feet across, larger than a standard three-seat sofa or even a king-size bed.

Though these enormous TVs represented only 1.7% of the total revenue from TV sales in the U.S. during the first nine months of the year, there's an increasing demand that's catching the attention of both manufacturers and retailers. According to market research firm Circana, 38.1 million TVs with a width of at least 97 inches were sold between January and September, marking a tenfold increase from the previous year.

Best Buy has responded to this surge by doubling its selection of massive TVs, now offering 19 models priced between $2,000 and $25,000 and displaying them in about 70% of its stores. "It's really taken off this year," said Blake Hampton, Best Buy’s senior vice president of merchandising.

This spike in demand can be attributed to improved technology and significantly lower prices. For instance, the average price for a 97-inch TV has dropped dramatically to $3,113 this year from $6,662 last year. Samsung's first 98-inch TV initially hit the market in 2019 carrying a hefty price tag of $99,000, but now features four versions that start at $4,000.

Anthony Ash from Bristol, Wisconsin, exemplifies the trend. The 42-year-old business owner recently purchased a $5,000, 98-inch Sony TV to replace an 85-inch unit in his 14,000-square-foot home. Ash, who owns 17 TVs, remarked, "You get a better TV experience with a bigger TV... You can put yourself in the scene."

Analysts note that increasing screen size is partially driven by the amount of time people spend watching on smaller devices like phones and tablets. Revenue from overall TV sales fell by 4%, even though the number of units sold rose by 1%.

Rick Kowalski from the Consumer Technology Association pointed out that while the average flat-panel TV size has increased annually by about an inch over the past 15 years, the pandemic accelerated this trend, with screen sizes increasing by two inches in both 2021 and 2022.

Best Buy's Hampton highlighted another benefit of colossal TVs: the capability to watch multiple shows simultaneously on a single screen. "If you're watching YouTube TV content or 'NFL Sunday Ticket,' you can get four screens up, and that's four 48-inch screens," he explained.

Retailers like Walmart and Abt Electronics are also expanding their TV ranges to meet this growing demand. These gargantuan screens are now vying with home theater projectors, which usually require specific conditions like blackout curtains.

"The viewing experience with direct TV is just much better," said Andrew Sivori from LG Electronics. However, Jon Abt from Abt Electronics cautioned, "It's still a niche business," noting that many people simply don't have the space to accommodate such large TVs.

To assist shoppers, Best Buy offers services to ensure homes can accommodate these large deliveries, and their app features augmented reality to visualize the fit. The recommended viewing distance for a 98-inch TV is between 6-12 feet, according to Samsung’s James Fishler.

Looking ahead, the potential for even larger TV screens seems limitless. For now, big-screen aficionados have plenty to celebrate this holiday season.