The AFC Championship Game drew its highest overnight rating in decades Sunday.
The Jets/Steelers AFC title game earned a 31.3 overnight rating on CBS Sunday evening, down 6% from last year’s late Conference Championship game (MIN/NO: 33.3, FOX), and up 32% from 2009 (BAL/PIT: 23.8, CBS).
The 31.3 overnight is the highest for the AFC Championship Game since the 1986-87 season (DEN/CLE: 31.9, NBC).
Overall, this marks the third-highest overnight for any Conference Championship Game since Packers/Panthers in the 1996-97 season (30.7). Only 2010 and 2008 NFC Championship games put up better numbers (33.3 and 31.7, respectively).
Compared to last year’s AFC Championship Game, which aired in the early window, Sunday’s matchup was up 10% (NYJ/IND: 28.4, CBS).
(Some ratings information from Sports Business Daily, tvguide.com)
