Ratings dropped by a decent margin for the NFL’s Conference Championship games.
The AFC and NFC title games averaged a 22.0 rating on FOX and CBS last Sunday, down 20% from a 27.4 for two games last year. The 22.0 average is the lowest for the NFL’s Conference Championships since 2001, when the games averaged a 21.6 rating.
Both games were off double-digits from last year. The Cardinals/Eagles NFC title game drew a 21.9 rating in the early window, off 25% from last year’s Giants/Packers game. Meanwhile, the Ravens/Steelers AFC title game drew a 22.0, down 14% from Chargers/Patriots in ’08.
The two games finish as the fourth and fifth lowest rated Conference Championship games since 1998. Heading into the Super Bowl, eight of the ten NFL playoff games have seen declining ratings.
While the ratings are low by NFL standards, the games still blew away their competition. The 40.6 million viewers for Ravens/Steelers and the 38.4 million for Eagles/Cardinals surpassed the 30 million viewers American Idol drew on FOX Tuesday and Wednesday. Additionally, the Conference Championship games finish as the two highest rated, most viewed programs on television since last year’s Super Bowl.
Average ratings for NFL Conference Championship games.
since 1998
