April 23, 2012
by Stephen M. Lepore
Credit it to the rain, instead of blaming for once. The NHL on NBC had another record-setting weekend, continuing it’s best hot streak ever.
Sunday’s Bruins/Capitals, Game 6 drew a 2.5 overnight rating, topping the Winter Classic on January 2nd for the best ratings for hockey so far this season. It also scored the best rating for a non-Final Stanley Cup Playoff game since 1998, when Game 4 of the Western Conference Final between Dallas and Detroit drew a 2.6. Aside from the first four Winter Classics, it is the highest-rated non-Final hockey game ever broadcast by NBC since they regained the rights in 2006. It is also up 56% from the comparable game last year (PHI/BUF, G6, 4/24/11: 1.6) and up 62% from two years ago (PHX/DET, G6, 4/25/10: 1.3).
Earlier Sunday, the Penguins and Flyers topped their terrific Game 3 ratings in an earlier timeslot, as Game 6’s Philadelphia clinching drew a 2.4 overnight. This was up 38% from last week’s Noon ET game (NSH/DET, G3: 1.5). It is now tied as the second-highest playoff overnight since 1998.
What perhaps makes this jump so surprising is that Game 5 of the series, broadcast Saturday afternoon, was fairly pedestrian by comparison. Game 5 drew a 1.5 overnight rating, equal with last Saturday’s broadcast of Game 2. This could be explained by the fact that it went up against Yankees/Red Sox on FOX. The telecast is still up 15% from last year (NYR/WSH G5, 4/23/11: 1.3) and the year before (CHI/NSH G5, 4/24/10: 1.3). Overall, a fantastic weekend and a fantastic first round for NBC.
NBC averaged a 1.9 for six first-round broadcasts. That is up 32% from the 1.3 NBC averaged for last year’s four first-round broadcasts, and easily the best the network has ever drawn for the Conference Quarterfinals.
Stanley Cup Playoff Ratings on NBC Since 2006
2012
April 14 – Washington vs. Boston, Game 2: 1.5
April 15 – Nashville vs. Detroit, Game 3: 1.5
April 15 – Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia, Game 3: 2.3
April 21 – Washington vs. Boston, Game 5: 1.5
April 22 – Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia, Game 6: 2.4
April 23 – Boston vs. Washington, Game 6: 2.5
2011
Apr. 16 – Phoenix vs. Detroit, Game 2: 1.1
Apr. 17 – Washington vs. NY Rangers, Game 3: 1.3
Apr. 23 – NY Rangers vs. Washington, Game 5: 1.3
Apr. 24 – Philadelphia vs. Buffalo, Game 6: 1.6
Apr. 30 – Boston vs. Philadelphia, Game 1: 1.5
May 1 – Detroit vs. San Jose, Game 2: 1.6
May 21 – Boston vs. Tampa Bay, Game 4: 1.5
May 22 – Vancouver vs. San Jose, Game 4: 1.3
Average: 1.4
2010
Apr. 17 – Boston vs. Buffalo, Game 2: 1.2
Apr. 18 – Phoenix vs. Detroit, Game 3: 1.5
Apr. 24 – Nashville vs. Chicago, Game 5: 1.3
Apr. 25 – Phoenix vs. Detroit, Game 6: 1.3
May 1 – Philadelphia vs. Boston, Game 1: 1.6
May 2 – Montreal vs. Pittsburgh, Game 2: 1.6
May 16 – Chicago vs. San Jose, Game 1: 1.7
May 22 – Philadelphia vs. Montreal, Game 4: 1.6
May 23 – San Jose vs. Chicago, Game 4: 2.0
Playoff Average: 1.5
2009
Apr. 18 – NY Rangers vs. Washington, Game 2: 1.0
Apr. 19 – Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia, Game 3: 1.7
Apr. 25 – Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia, Game 6: 1.2
Apr. 26 – Washington vs. NY Rangers, Game 6: 1.0
May 2 – Pittsburgh vs. Washington, Game 1: 1.4
May 3 – Anaheim vs. Detroit, Game 2: 1.3
May 17 – Chicago vs. Detroit, Game 1: 2.0
May 24 – Detroit vs. Chicago, Game 4: 1.5
Playoff Average: 1.3
2008
April 12 – Nashville vs. Detroit, Game 2: 1.0
April 13 – Philadelphia vs. Washington, Game 2: 1.0
April 19 – Philadelphia vs. Washington, Game 5: 1.2
April 20 – Detroit vs. Nashville, Game 6: 1.3
April 26 – Colorado vs. Detroit, Game 2: 1.0
April 27 – NY Rangers vs. Pittsburgh, Game 2: 1.2
May 4 – NY Rangers vs. Pittsburgh, Game 5: 1.5
May 17 – Dallas vs. Detroit, Game 5: 1.5
May 18 – Philadelphia vs. Pittsburgh, Game 5: 1.7
2007
April 14 – Regional Coverage (PIT vs. OTT, NYR vs. ATL): 1.2
April 15 – Calgary vs. Detroit, Game 2: 1.4
April 21 – Calgary vs. Detroit, Game 5: 0.9
April 22 – New Jersey vs. Tampa Bay, Game 6: 1.1
April 28 – San Jose vs. Detroit, Game 2: 1.0
April 29 – Buffalo vs. NY Rangers, Game 3: 1.3
May 5 – San Jose vs. Detroit, Game 5: 1.4
May 6 – Buffalo vs. NY Rangers, Game 6: 1.4
May 19 – Ottawa vs. Buffalo, Game 5: 0.9
May 20 – Anaheim vs. Detroit, Game 5: 1.4
2006
April 22 – Regional Coverage (NYR vs. NJ, COL vs. DAL): 1.3
April 23 – Regional Coverage (EDM vs. DET, SJ vs. NSH): 1.5
April 29 – Regional Coverage (NJ vs. NYR, EDM vs. DET): 1.2
April 30 – Regional Coverage (PHI vs. BUF, COL vs. DAL): 1.5
May 6 – New Jersey vs. Carolina, Game 1: 1.1
May 7 – Colorado vs. Anaheim, Game 2: 0.9
May 13 – Carolina vs. New Jersey, Game 4: 1.0
May 20 – Buffalo vs. Carolina, Game 1: 1.2
(Source: Sports Media Watch)
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