Most-Watched Conference Championship Sunday in 29 Years

01/25/2011


MOST-WATCHED CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY IN 29 YEARS
JETS-STEELERS MOST-WATCHED AFC CHAMPIONSHIP EVER

AVERAGE OF 53.4 MILLION VIEWERS WATCHED EACH GAME

Football fans across America continue to tune in to NFL games, resulting in the most-watched conference championship Sunday in 29 years. An average of 53.4 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 Jets-Pittsburgh Steelers AFC Championship Game on CBS drew 54.8 million viewers ranking as the most watched AFC championship ever.

The Green Bay Packers-Chicago Bears matchup on FOX drew 51.9 million viewers to rank as the third NFC Championship Game in four years to average more than 50 million viewers.


2010 NFL Conference Championship Games

Date
Network (Game)
Viewers

Jan. 23, 2011
FOX (Packers at Bears)
51.9 million

Jan. 23, 2011
CBS (Jets at Steelers)
54.8 million

CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND
AVERAGE
53.4 million



1981 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 million

Source: NFL & The Nielsen Company