VERSUS Release on Friday Night Blockbuster

NEW YORK – May 30, 2011 – The NBC Sports group’s coverage of the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs continues to achieve viewership increases across its national platforms.

 

VERSUS’ exclusive telecast of Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Final between the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday night averaged 2.55 million viewers, according to fast nationals provided by The Nielsen Company, making it the most-watched Conference Final game in network history and the sixth-most watched game in the network’s history overall (bested only by Stanley Cup Final games). The telecast, which peaked at 3.25 million viewers from 10-10:30 p.m. ET, was the most-watched third-round game on cable since Detroit and Colorado renewed their epic rivalry in Game 7 on May 31, 2002.

 

 

 

MOST WATCHED NHL TELECASTS IN VERSUS HISTORY (average viewers)

 

6/2/2010 Chicago at Philadelphia (SCF Game 3) – 3,600,000

 

6/4/2009 Detroit at Pittsburgh (SCF Game 4) – 3,448,000

 

6/4/2010 Chicago at Philadelphia (SCF Game 4) – 3,126,000

 

6/2/2009 Detroit at Pittsburgh (SCF Game 3) – 2,955,000

 

5/26/2008 Pittsburgh at Detroit (SCF Game 2) – 2,608,000

 

5/27/2011 Tampa Bay at Boston (ECF Game 7) – 2,550,000

 

Overall, VERSUS averaged 854,000 viewers for its exclusive and non-exclusive games combined throughout the first three rounds of this year’s postseason, making it the most- watched Stanley Cup Playoffs on cable since 2002.

 

NBC’s coverage of the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs averaged 1.93 million viewers per game, up two percent vs. 1.89 million last year. Highlights included NBC’s Conference Quarterfinal coverage, which was the most-watched network coverage for the NHL’s first round in seven years. The Quarterfinals included the Philadelphia Flyers’ Game 6 win over the Buffalo Sabres in overtime, which was watched by 2.57 million viewers, making it the most-watched NHL non-Conference Final game in 12 years.

 

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