January 27, 2012
by Stephen M. Lepore
Look, I’m not in the business of shaming the NHL for it’s ratings. You all know I look on the positive side of things when it comes to who’s watching on NBC Sports Net. But the numbers for NBCSp’s broadcast of the Wild/Avalanche game were downright embarrassing.
The network, televising only it’s fourth game west of Dallas this season, and it’s seventh west of Minnesota, drew just 190,000 viewers for the match-up, marking NBC/VERSUS’ lowest numbers for an exclusive match-up during the 2011-12 season, lowering a limbo stick already set by the Avalanche earlier this year (SJ/COL 12/13/11: 193,000). The game was notably beaten by a replay of the AFC Championship Game between New England and Baltimore on NFL Network (202,000). The league and the network need to find a new tentpole team out west, because the Avs are dead weight when it comes to viewership.
Elsewhere, the numbers were better. Monday night’s Blues/Red Wings game, despite not airing in the Detroit market (where it aired on FSN), drew 429,000 viewers, which may be a season high for a non-exclusive game. The Red Wings getting blown out in Montreal two nights later (where it did air exclusively in Detroit) drew much lower digits, scoring 241,000 viewers. The important thing, however, is that it beat the NFC Championship Game repeat on NFL Network that night (193,000). At least we can hang our hats on that.
(Source: @TVSportsRatings)
Viewer Numbers to Date for the NHL on NBC Sports Network, 2011-12 Season
October 6
7:00 Boston vs. Philadelphia – 874,000
10:00 Pittsburgh vs. Vancouver – 342,000
October 7
1:00 NY Rangers vs. Los Angeles – 101,000
October 8
1:00 NY Rangers vs. Anaheim – 124,000
October 10
7:00 Tampa Bay vs. Washington – 162,000
October 11
7:30 Florida vs. Pittsburgh – 216,000
October 12
7:30 Boston vs. Carolina – 312,000
October 17
7:30 Colorado vs. Toronto – 218,000
October 18
7:30 Pittsburgh vs. Minnesota – 286,000
October 25
7:30 Tampa Bay vs. Buffalo – 338,000
October 31
7:00 San Jose vs. NY Rangers – 169,000
November 1
7:30 Anaheim vs. Washington – 258,000
November 2
7:30 Philadelphia vs. Buffalo – 558,000
November 14
7:00 Buffalo vs. Montreal – 323,000
November 15
7:30 Colorado vs. Pittsburgh – 392,000
November 21
7:30 NY Islanders vs. Pittsburgh – 198,000
November 22
7:30 Los Angeles vs. St. Louis – 245,000
November 28
7:30 Tampa Bay vs. Minnesota – 232,000
November 29
7:30 Pittsburgh vs. NY Rangers – 394,000
November 30
7:30 Tampa Bay vs. Detroit – 393,000
December 5
8:00 Phoenix vs. Chicago – 302,000 viewers
December 6
7:30 Detroit vs. St. Louis – 259,000
December 7
7:30 Philadelphia vs. Buffalo – 585,000
December 12
7:30 New Jersey vs. Tampa Bay – 201,000
December 13
9:00 San Jose vs. Colorado – 193,000
December 14
7:30 Chicago vs. Minnesota – 540,000
January 2
8:00 San Jose vs. Vancouver – 267,000
January 3
8:00 Detroit vs. Dallas – 188,000
January 4
7:30 Boston vs. New Jersey – 435,000
January 8
7:30 Detroit vs. Chicago – 587,000
January 10
7:30 San Jose vs. Minnesota – 237,000
January 11
7:30 Pittsburgh vs. Washington – 526,000
January 15
7:30 NY Rangers vs. Montreal – 202,000
January 16
7:30 Dallas vs. St. Louis – 238,000
January 17
7:30 Nashville vs. NY Rangers – 224,000
January 18
7:30 Buffalo vs. Chicago – 466,000
January 23
7:30 St. Louis vs. Detroit – 429,000
January 24
9:00 Minnesota vs. Colorado – 190,000
Janaury 25
7:30 Detroit vs. Montreal – 241,000
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