Ratings Extra: Minnesota-Carolina, Hockey Central Down, Pens-Flyers Up 200K From 2009

Some bonus info from the NHL’s opening day on VERSUS:

• The NHL’s Opening Day ratings strength did not extend to Thursday afternoon’s opener, a Noon ET start between the Minnesota Wild and Carolina Hurricanes. The game drew an 0.1 HH rating and 80,000 viewers. VERSUS did not air a game on the comparable day from last year, but did air two games from last year’s NHL premiere, which both drew more viewers. On October 2, 2009, a Noon ET Florida-Chicago game drew 100,000 viewers, while a 3:00 PM ET St. Louis-Detroit contest drew 278,000 viewers.
• Penguins-Flyers drew an 0.4 HH rating to go along with 730,000 viewers, up 46% from last season’s opening night Bruins/Capitals match-up, which drew 501,000 viewers. The 7PM ET telecast drew an 0.3 among Adults 18-49, with 61% of the telecast’s viewers (446,000) coming from the all-important demographic. Among the 18-49 demographic, 33% (148,000) were female. Just for the sake of comparison, the Yankees-Twins game on TBS in the same timeslot drew 580,000 women 18-49, 26% of the 18-49 viewership.
• The Blackhawks-Avalanche nightcap drew an 0.3 HH rating and 430,000 viewers, up 30% from last year’s Sharks-Avalanche game on opening night, which drew 332,000 viewers. The game had an 0.2 among the 18-49’s, with 70% (303,000) of the game’s audience coming from that demo. Of the Adults 18-49 that watched, 28% (86,000) were female.
• Viewers tended to tune out VERSUS’ Hockey Central on Opening Night. The pre-game show at 6:30 PM ET to lead-in to Penguins-Flyers drew 169,000 viewers, while the in-between show to air before Blackhawks-Avalanche drew 382,000 viewers, less than the game that came on after it.

(Sources: Son of the Bronx and Sports Media Watch)