TV Ratings: Pats-Chiefs 2nd Most-Watched AFC Championship

CBS Sports’ coverage of the New England-Kansas City AFC Championship Game on Sunday, Jan. 20 (6:41-10:21 PM, ET) averaged 53.9 million viewers (Persons 2+), making it the second-most watched AFC Championship Game in 42 years (CBS records go back to the 1977-78 NFL season), according to Nielsen fast national ratings.

The 53.9 million viewers for the game is up +27% versus last year’s comparable Championship Game window (42.3 million for Minnesota-Philadelphia in last year’s late-game).

Patriots-Chiefs earned a fast-national live + same-day average household rating/share of 27.5/46, also up +27% versus last year’s comparable Championship Game window (21.7/35 for Minnesota-Philadelphia).

The AFC Championship Game peaked with 63.8 million viewers and a 32.5/52 rating/share from 9:30-10:00 PM, ET.

Streaming coverage of the AFC Championship Game drove significant viewership growth from last year’s game, with the average minute audience up +77% and total minutes streamed up +64% year-over-year.

The NFC championship game between the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints drew a 27.1 overnight rating, or roughly 31.2 million viewers. The game was aired earlier by Fox, with a 3:05 p.m. ET kickoff.

Rams-Saints had the lowest rating for the early window since 2013.