Game 1 Hits Record Numbers, as Expected, in New York
May 15, 2012 3 Comments
It took two local teams, but New York appears to be all in for the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs at this point.
Game 1 of the Devils/Rangers Eastern Conference Final series drew a huge 6.2 local rating in New York, the highest number for any Stanley Cup broadcast in the market so far this post-season. It beats out Game 7 of the Rangers-Senators first round series (a 5.7) on MSG for the top spot.
Nine broadcasts from this post-season have broken the network’s record for a local broadcast in New York (a 2.14 for Rangers/Penguins in 2008 on VERSUS) between the Devils and Rangers.
NBC Sports Network Exclusive Broadcasts in New York During the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs
April 30, Washington vs. NY Rangers, Game 2: 3.5
May 1, New Jersey vs. Philadelphia, Game 2: 1.3
May 2, NY Rangers vs. Washington, Game 3: 3.9
May 3, Philadelphia vs. New Jersey, Game 3: 2.2
May 6, Philadelphia vs. New Jersey, Game 4: 2.37
May 7, Washington vs. NY Rangers, Game 5: 4.3
May 8, New Jersey vs. Philadelphia, Game 5: 2.36
May 9, NY Rangers vs. Washington, Game 6: 3.5
May 12, Washington vs. NY Rangers, Game 7: 4.8
May 14, New Jersey vs. NY Rangers, Game 1: 6.2
Puck The Media 
Having these games on NBCSN really hurts the NY numbers. I know a lot of fans that don’t have it. Most of them go to a bar or a friends house but none of that is calculated when Nielsen takes a guess at how many people watched the game. A NY/NJ would easily break a 10 for every game (combined) if both teams had their games on MSG (and MSG+ for the Devils).. Obviously that would bring down the NBCSN numbers but who cares. More people than ever before are taken interest in this team. Yeah I hate the bandwagon fans and casual fans who only care when the playoffs start, but it’s fun when hockey is #1, which it is in NYC right now. The most-watched NYR broadcast is still Game 7 of the 1st round. Everybody in NY has MSG and they can find it easily. Switch to NBCSN for the 2nd round and numbers dropped. Just imagine how big the numbers for Game 7 of the 2nd round would’ve been if the game was on MSG in NY.
While I love NBC and I hate the idiots that continue to say we should be on ESPN, this is the main issue I have with the NBC deal. A lot of people don’t have the channel. Add in the fact that the channel is buried in the middle of nowhere on a lot of cable providers and you have no chance of drawing in the casual viewer. If you’re a hardcore fan, you’ll find it, but the casual fan or sports fan that might flip around and find it, won’t because of these issues.
You make a lot of good points Kevin. The league has made a decision to forgo the short term distribution advantages from ESPN to a long term deal with a better relationship and treatment with NBC Universal. The NHL does get 12 regular season and 14 to 17 playoff games on network tv that ESPN would probability never would provide on ABC. I like you think the league made the right move but it does feels a little empty at times with the lack of tv homes for such exciting games that can draw in the casual fan. On the other side the relationship with NBC Sports Net is drawing better ratings than ESPN ever did. You do wonder just how big the ratings could have been.
I guess the hope is that with the direct link to NBC now, the network will receive greater exposure and visibility–and, subsequently, wider distribution. But we’ll see how things develop over the coming years.