via press release:
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 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 |
Most-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 |
