Football fans across America continue to tune in to NFL games, resulting in the most-watched conference championship Sunday in 30 years. An average of 53.7 million viewers watched NFL games last weekend, the most for an NFL conference championship Sunday since January 1982 (game-by-game comparison below).
The New York Giants-San Francisco 49ers NFC Championship Game on FOX drew 57.6 million viewers to rank as the third most-watched conference championship game ever (chart below).
The Baltimore Ravens-New England Patriots AFC Championship Game on CBS drew 48.7 million viewers. The conference championship games are television’s two most-watched shows since Super Bowl XLV.
Click over the jump for three press releases.
MOST-WATCHED CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY IN 30 YEARS
AVERAGE OF 53.7 MILLION VIEWERS WATCHED EACH GAME
GIANTS-49ERS THIRD MOST-WATCHED CONF. CHAMPIONSHIP EVER
RECORD FIVE 2011 PLAYOFF GAMES TOP 35 MILLION VIEWERS
Football fans across America continue to tune in to NFL games, resulting in the most-watched conference championship Sunday in 30 years. An average of 53.7 million viewers watched NFL games last weekend, the most for an NFL conference championship Sunday since January 1982 (game-by-game comparison below).
The New York Giants-San Francisco 49ers NFC Championship Game on FOX drew 57.6 million viewers to rank as the third most-watched conference championship game ever (chart below).
The Baltimore Ravens-New England Patriots AFC Championship Game on CBS drew 48.7 million viewers. The conference championship games are television’s two most-watched shows since Super Bowl XLV.
In addition, a record five 2011 playoff games averaged at least 35 million viewers – up from four in 2010.
2011 NFL Conference Championship Games
Date Network (Game) Viewers
Jan. 22, 2012 CBS (Ravens at Patriots) 48.7 million
Jan. 22, 2012 FOX (Giants at 49ers) 57.6 million
CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND AVERAGE 53.7 million1981 NFL Conference Championship Games
Date Network (Game) Viewers
Jan. 10, 1982 NBC (Chargers at Bengals) 51.6 million
Jan. 10, 1982 CBS (Cowboys at 49ers) 68.7 million
CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND AVERAGE 60.2 millionMost-Watched NFL Conference Championship Games
Date Network (Game) Viewers
Jan. 10, 1982 CBS (Cowboys at 49ers) 68.7 million
Jan. 24, 2010 FOX (Vikings at Saints-OT) 57.9 million
Jan. 22, 2012 FOX (N.Y. Giants at 49ers-OT) 57.6 million
Jan. 15, 1995 FOX (Cowboys-49ers) 56.8 million
Jan. 23, 2011 CBS (N.Y. Jets at Steelers) 54.8 million
CBS SPORTS’ COVERAGE OF AFC CHAMPIONSHIP BOASTS HIGHEST VIEWER AVERAGE FOR
EARLY AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME IN 30 YEARS WITH 48.7 MILLION
Fast National Rating is Highest for Early AFC Championship Game in 17 Years with 27.4/48
CBS Sports’ coverage of the 2012 AFC CHAMPIONSHIP game featuring the New England Patriots defeating the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Jan. 22 (3:07-6:16 PM, ET) averaged 48.7 million viewers (Persons 2+), which is the highest viewer average for the early AFC Championship game in 30 years (1/10/1982; 51.6 million viewers; San Diego-Cincinnati: NBC).
The 48.7 million viewers for the 2012 AFC Championship game also was the second-highest viewer average (behind last year’s 54.9 million for New York Jets-Pittsburgh) for the AFC Championship game in 30 years (1/10/1982; 51.6 million viewers; San Diego-Cincinnati; NBC).
The AFC CHAMPIONSHIP game earned a fast-national live + same-day average household rating/share of 27.4/48, which is the highest rating for an early AFC Championship game in 17 years (1/15/1995; 28.3/58; San Diego-Pittsburgh; NBC)
The Network’s coverage in the comparable early window in 2010 earned a 26.3/47 (New York Jets-Indianapolis) and last year earned a 28.3/43 (New York Jets-Pittsburgh) in the late window.
The AFC CHAMPIONSHIP game rating peaked at a 31.2/52 with an average of 56.8 million viewers from 5:30-6:00 PM, ET.
57.6 MILLION WATCH NFC CHAMPIONSHIP OVERTIME THRILLER ON FOX
Sunday’s Giants/49ers Battle Ties 2010’s Vikings/Saints
As Highest-Rated Conference Title Game Since 1996
NFL on FOX Regular & Postseason Combine for Network’s Most-Watched Ever
New York – Yesterday’s epic 2012 NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME on FOX between the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers delivered an extraordinary 30.6/44 fast-national rating/share according to figures released by Nielsen Media Research. The overtime battle scored an average audience of 57.6 million viewers to rank as the third most-watched Conference Championship Game ever, after the 1982 Cowboys-49ers NFC Championship Game (68.7 million viewers on CBS) and 2010’s overtime Vikings-Saints NFC Championship (57.9 million viewers on FOX).
The rating for Sunday’s battle for the NFC crown ties with 2010’s game (Vikings/Saints – 30.6/45) as the highest-rated NFC Championship Game since 1996 (Packers/Cowboys – 33.3/58).
Last night’s fast-national rating of 30.6/44 is a +9% gain over last year’s 28.1/50 for Packers/Bears in the early window and +8% better than last year’s 28.3/43 for Jets/Steelers in the late window on CBS. Ratings climbed to extraordinary levels as the game progressed toward overtime, peaking at an astounding 36.9/52 rating and 69.0 million viewers from 10:00 – 10:30 PM ET.
The 2012 NFC Playoffs on FOX averaged a 23.9/43 (42.6 million viewers) making it the network’s most-watched NFL Playoffs ever. The average for FOX Sports’ coverage of the NFC’s Wild Card, Divisional and Conference Championship rounds is up +11% over last year’s 21.6/39 (38.7 million) and is FOX’s highest-rated NFL Playoffs since 1996’s 25.1/48 (37.2 million). The complete 2011-12 NFL season on FOX averaged over 23.2 million viewers for the regular season and playoffs combined, making it FOX’s most-watched NFL season ever, excluding Super Bowls.
San Francisco posted a 47.4/77, the second highest-rated NFL on FOX postseason game ever in the City by the Bay. New York notched a 41.8/58, FOX’s best NFL rating ever in the Big Apple for a non-Super Bowl game. After the Patriots punched their ticket to Super Bowl XLVI earlier in the evening, Boston tuned-in to find out who New England’s opponent would be, posting a 35.1/49, Boston’s highest-rating NFL on FOX non- Super Bowl playoff game. Other metered markets of note include Los Angeles (28.4/49) and Detroit (30.2/42).
