More Info on Big Numbers for Flyers-Red Wings

NBC has sent over some more info on the Wings record-tying (and NBC big viewership getting) win on Sunday night:

• 600k viewers was NBC Sports Network’s most-watched Sunday night NHL game ever, and the second most-watched hockey game on NBC Sports Network since opening night (Blackhawks-Penguins on 12/20/11 delivered 634,000 viewers).The viewership for Flyers-Red Wings is up 38 percent compared to the 2010/11 exclusive time period NHL game average on NBC Sports Network
• After 54 regular season games, viewership of the NHL on NBCSN is up seven percent compared to the same period last year (335,000 vs. 314,000).
• Highest rated game in Detroit (5.26) since 3/28/11 (Chi/Det, 5.37). NBC Sports Network was the No. 1 rated cable network in Detroit during the game and No. 3 network overall.
• Highest rated game in Philadelphia (3.63) since 12/21/11 (Phi/Dal, 3.90). NBC Sports Network was the No. 2 rated cable network in Philadelphia during the game and the No. 4 network overall.

 

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Hockey Day in America Features High School, Sled Hockey

NBC’s Hockey Day in America will return in full force on Sunday, featuring a half-hour special on various hockey teams around the country leading into nine hours of NHL action. This comes after the network drew their best ratings for a non-Winter Classic game since 2006 last season.

NBC will air hockey programming from Noon-6 p.m. ET, afterwards NBC Sports Network will take over from 6-9:30 p.m. ET. Things will kick off with the second annual Hockey Day in America special, which will feature footage from four different hockey teams from around the country. The Roseau-Warroad high school rivalry from Minnesota, the Tampa Bay Lightning sled hockey organization, and the U.S. National Team Development program will all get some network TV love.

Liam McHugh will host the NHL’s studio show, live from Wells Fargo WinterSkate in St. Paul, Minnesota (the show was in Chicago last year) with Eddie Olczyk, Pierre McGuire and Mike Milbury while three games will begin with staggered start times at 12:30 p.m. ET. Sharks-Red Wings will be seen by most of the country and be called by Red Wings play-by-play man Ken Daniels and Blues color analyst Darren Pang. Others will see Penguins-Sabres with TSN’s Gord Miller and Ray Ferraro, while remaining viewers will see Blues-Blackhawks, called by NBC’s #2 team of Dave Strader and Brian Engblom. All three games will be streamed live on NBCSports.com.

The NBC Game of the Week will begin at 3:30 p.m. ET between the Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins and the Minnesota Wild. The NBC A-Team of Mike Emrick, Eddie Olczyk and Pierre McGuire will have the call. NBC Sports Network will continue on with the coverage at 6:00 p.m. ET with the Devils visiting the Canadiens. John Forslund and Andy Brickley will have the call. NHL Live will follow the game at 8:30 p.m. ET, with NHL Overtime wrapping up the day at 9:00 p.m. ET. All in all, it should be a fantastic day of hockey.

Flyers/Red Wings Draws Second-best NBCSN Numbers This Season

Making hockey history eschewed any interest many hockey fans may have had in the Grammys, as the Red Wings record-tying effort Sunday night drew solid numbers on NBC Sports Network.

The Red Wings and Flyers drew 600,000 viewers Sunday night, marking the third-best numbers of the season for the NHL on NBCSN/VERSUS. The Red Wings tied a record that night, winning their 20th consecutive home game.

Last Week’s NHL on NBCSN Viewership

February 5
12:30 Boston vs. Washington – 455,000 viewers

February 6
8:00 Detroit vs. Phoenix – 263,000

February 7
7:30 Los Angeles vs. Tampa Bay – 155,000

February 8
7:30 Boston vs. Buffalo – 452,000

(Sources: Mark Erlichson and @TVSportsratings)

2011-12 NHL on NBC Sports Network ratings

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

December 20
7:30 Chicago vs. Pittsburgh – 634,000

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

January 28
7:00 Super-Skills Competition – 1.1 million

January 29
4:00 All-Star Game – 1.3 million

January 31

7:30 Washington vs. Tampa Bay – 264,000

February 1
7:30 NY Rangers vs. Buffalo – 478,000 

February 5
12:30 Boston vs. Washington – 455,000

February 6
8:00 Detroit vs. Phoenix – 263,000

February 7
7:30 Los Angeles vs. Tampa Bay – 155,000

February 8
7:30 Boston vs. Buffalo – 455,000 

February 12
7:30 Philadelphia vs. Detroit – 600,000

Five Teams That Need to Be on TV More Down the Stretch

NHL action on NBC and the NBC Sports Network is increasing week-by-week as the season heads towards an undoubtedly exciting conclusion. That said, the games aren’t always the most desirable, and sometimes games will be flexed in and out. Here are five teams that we should all get more of towards the end of the season, and some of the garbage games they could replace.

• Florida Panthers
• Florida got one television appearance, way back in October, when the Panthers visited the Penguins. Hardly anyone could know then that Florida would be in third place, four points ahead of the division race, and with a realistic shot at making the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2000, the second-longest current drought in the four major sports. Plus, the team is riddled with stars from more popular teams like the Blackhawks that could make the club a draw against the right opponent.
• Game Suggestion: Tuesday, March 20th at Philadelphia. The Flyers are always a popular draw, and while the current NBCSN game (Phoenix vs. Dallas) also has two teams fighting for a playoff spot, those teams have already both been featured multiple times during the year.
• San Jose Sharks
• Did anyone watch the Sharks beat up the Capitals last night? That was scary in how simple and surgical they made it look at times. A fun bunch of players to get behind, too. Joe Thornton’s move to the west coast prevented him from becoming one of the most marketable faces of post-lockout hockey, and I still think that’s something that should be changed. Sharks local ratings are growing as well. Maybe we get a game actually out on the west coast that people can watch? I’m sure all the Team Teal loyalists are thrilled to wake up at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday.
• Game Suggestion: No replacing a game, lets add on a doubleheader one night, similar to how last week’s Calgary-San Jose game got tacked on. NBC has a bit of a dud on it’s hands with yet another Lightning-Flyers contest on March 26th. Let’s throw the Sharks game against the Avalanche, another team competing for a post-season birth, on after it at 10:30 p.m. ET.
• Nashville Predators
• I love the Predators. I love the team and I love the city as a story. I love Pete Weber, who is always kind and funny in response to any and all e-mails. I love that the city has finally begun to embrace the sport and the team on a full-scale level, especially after last season’s insane playoff crowd. They were looking like a bubble team for a while, but now this is another potential home-ice post-season team that has only had one appearance on NBC Sports Network, in January against the Rangers.
• Game Suggestion: The Wild and the Avs seem in a constant state of downward spiral, also, I feel as though we’ve seen those two teams play each other approximately 25 times this year, including the last time, which got very poor ratings. That very same night, the Predators host the Kings. You may not see any goals, but it could still be an enjoyable goaltender’s duel.
• Toronto Maple Leafs
• Part of the idea of putting the Maple Leafs on television is me asking all the Leafs fans and everyone who thinks it’s a fantastic idea to put them in the Winter Classic to put their money and viewership where their mouth is. Let the masses of Leafs fans across the country tune into a game with the team battling for their first post-season berth since the lockout to prove there’s some TV ratings muscle there. Now, gaining evidence for my future arguments is not necessarily a reason to alter the NHL TV schedule, but this is an exciting team with a bona fide star (Phil Kessel) on it, and they are likely making the playoffs, so let’s throw them on.
• Game Suggestion: Pittsburgh-Dallas is a fine game to air on February 29th, but I love the idea of putting on Leafs-Blackhawks instead. Always go with Original Six when in doubt.
• Los Angeles Kings
• The Kings have already been used as a replacement. They’re a little dull, but if we’re all half as convinced as we get at the start of the season that the Kings will eventually make a run at this, the LA market must become an important hockey market again. They have to become a team that can make a bunch of appearances on television. Also, you know me, I think the more late games, the better.
• Game Suggestion: NBC has a chance to put the Kings on their airwaves for what seems like the umpteenth consecutive year, when they face Chicago in the Windy City on March 11th.  There’s a real shot at it too, because the other game it will be up against is Bruins-Penguins. With the Bruins and Penguins appearing this Sunday, as well as (very likely) on March 4th against the Rangers, using that game vs. Pittsburgh would keep the Bruins off of national television until the playoffs, and limit the Penguins to only one more appearance the rest of the way. The Hawks are slumping, but come on NBC, let’s take a shot on a full-bore west coast match-up. Let’s do this.

NHL Network to Broadcast All 10 Hours of TSN’s Trade Deadline Coverage in the States

Trade deadline day has been a bit of a mixed bag for the NHL Network over the past few years. With a desire to launch it’s own, Americanized coverage of deadline day for viewers in the states instead of presenting us James Duthie’s lovely mug all day, the league’s broadcast network has taken a “pick and choose” sort of attitude to TSN’s Tradecentre show, often airing a few hours, but not all of them. It’s been a bit frustrating for American fans, who’d like the NHL Net coverage to be as good, but let’s face it, nobody beats TSN when it comes to trade deadline day. Except, you know, Twitter.

So it should come to great delight of all hockey fans that NHL Network will be simulcasting TSN’s TradeCentre ’12 show all freaking day on February 27th, the day that is the last which teams can make trades on, according to the NHL Network schedule. TSN’s comprehensive (to say the least) coverage will begin on NHL Net at 8 a.m. ET and expire (because really, at this amount of time, the proper word is expire) at 6 p.m. ET. Afterwards, the network will air it’s own one-hour trade deadline special before giving way to On The Fly and NHL Tonight. Meaning that hockey fans in the US will get a whopping 11 hours of live trade deadline coverage.

No listings are available for what the network will air in Canada that day. NBC Sports Network will also not (at this point) be airing any special trade deadline shows itself, but will be broadcasting a game that day and likely have much trade talk there.