NHL/hockey TV ratings 2024-25

[GKJ]

The thing no one really talks about for hockey, as a global sport, the biggest events and moments come in international play. Nothing an NHL game has ever done surpasses anything that whatever country you’re from, among the top handful of countries, has done. And it’s the same for almost any other sport. It’s not something that can be replicated by a day to day grind of a sport, even in the playoffs.

There’s nothing the NHL is going to do to get 9 million viewers. There just isn’t. Unless someone figures out how to make that such a ubiquitous product. Even in the playoffs.

 

[stealth1]

The thing no one really talks about for hockey, as a global sport, the biggest events and moments come in international play. Nothing an NHL game has ever done surpasses anything that whatever country you’re from, among the top handful of countries, has done. And it’s the same for almost any other sport. It’s not something that can be replicated by a day to day grind of a sport, even in the playoffs.

There’s nothing the NHL is going to do to get 9 million viewers. There just isn’t. Unless someone figures out how to make that such a ubiquitous product. Even in the playoffs.

I'm not expecting to get 9 million for a playoff game. Even a quarter of that would be better than what the usually get.

 

[Nicky Santoro]

There’s nothing the NHL is going to do to get 9 million viewers. There just isn’t. Unless someone figures out how to make that such a ubiquitous product. Even in the playoffs.

Bos/Chi or NYR/CHI SCF in this scenario, and it gets 10M+ for gm 7.

First 6 games were brawls galore and the rivalry became massive with both teams despising each other.

OR

Like last yrs SCF, BOS down 3-0 to CHI in the series, trying to come back from 0-3. fight back to win Gm4, 5, and gm6, including OT in both gm5 and gm6. Then gm 7 is back and forth and physical.. and it goes to 4-4 double OT with sprawling saves back and forth..


There's ur 10M viewers. but this is the only way we ever get it.. And even this scenario might not break 10M, but it'll be close. I still say if this is the exact scenario, 11.4M.

If we were able to get 7M+ with a lousy EDM/FLA, imagine CHI/BOS or NYR/CHI?? Plus we toss in Bedard as a bonus.

 

[Reaser]

Again, OOH. If it was included in the Nielsen numbers in 2019 (it wasn't) Game 7 of the SCF would have been 100% guaranteed to be over 9 million and more likely than not been over 10 million average viewership. Different measurement in 2019 than 2025.

Or vice-versa, if USA-Canada was measured under 2019 Nielsen, with the exact same people watching that watched Thursday night, the # would have likely been somewhere between 7.4M and 8.3M depending what % of the # was from OOH. A steep drop from 9.3M. Because that's how much OOH change(d/s) the #'s.

So "[t]here’s nothing the NHL is going to do to get 9 million viewers" & Nicky repeating for the millionth time his BOS-CHI SCF scenarios with "this is the only way we ever get it." No, it would have already happened with STL-BOS in 2019 if you apply 2025 Nielsen measurement standards to then. Thus, in the future, it's not quite the impossibilty as those statements conclude. Even last years Game 7 would have had a very good chance of being over 8 million because OOH did exist but wasn't 100% coverage as Nielsen has now been for 3 weeks -- and thus applied to the USA-Canada number.

 

[GKJ]

Bos/Chi or NYR/CHI SCF in this scenario, and it gets 10M+ for gm 7.

First 6 games were brawls galore and the rivalry became massive with both teams despising each other.

OR

Like last yrs SCF, BOS down 3-0 to CHI in the series, trying to come back from 0-3. fight back to win Gm4, 5, and gm6, including OT in both gm5 and gm6. Then gm 7 is back and forth and physical.. and it goes to 4-4 double OT with sprawling saves back and forth..


There's ur 10M viewers. but this is the only way we ever get it.. And even this scenario might not break 10M, but it'll be close. I still say if this is the exact scenario, 11.4M.

If we were able to get 7M+ with a lousy EDM/FLA, imagine CHI/BOS or NYR/CHI?? Plus we toss in Bedard as a bonus.

You’re still talking about one game in a special situation. Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals doesn’t happen every year. It’s actually happened less frequently than best-on-best international tournaments.

 

[DutchHockeyGuy]

You’re still talking about one game in a special situation. Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals doesn’t happen every year. It’s actually happened less frequently than best-on-best international tournaments.

True. But what if the final had been Finland vs Sweden. I am sure every NHL tournament will be set up to get Canada and the USA in the final, but last time European Leftovers did it.

 

[frightenedinmatenum2]

The Canadian number is more impressive than the 2010 when you consider context. That was on free TV. This was on pay TV. Less than 10 million Canadians have cable/satellite. I am not sure how many homes Sportsnet is in currently, but the number would be lower than that.

If this was on CBC, it would have easily beat that number. In terms of interest and hype, everything seemed to click for this event. You couldn't have written it any better if it was pre-determined, and your goal was to generate the most interest possible.

 

[Greatzsky 99]

Anyone got the Canandian # for Can - Fin and USA - Swe?

 

[Greatzsky 99]

4 Nations so far
Disclaimer: according to what ive seen, there could be things wrong.

2/12Canada vs. Sweden:

Canada 2357k
Usa 1050k
Sweden 79k
Finland 54k

2/13 USA vs. Finland:

Canada 1400k
Usa 1548k
Sweden
Finland 129k

2/15 Finland vs. Sweden:

Canada 897k
Usa 1300k
Sweden 515k
Finland 805k(853k)

2/15 USA vs. Canada:

Canada 5700k
Usa 4436k
Sweden
Finland 112k

2/17 Canada vs. Finland:

Canada
Usa 699k
Sweden
Finland 752k

2/17 Sweden vs. USA:

Canada
Usa 1825k
Sweden
Finland

2/20 Championship

Canada 6883k
Usa 9252k
Sweden
Finland

Average

Canada 3447k (5 games)
Finland 370k (5 games)
USA 3176k

 

[GKJ]

True. But what if the final had been Finland vs Sweden. I am sure every NHL tournament will be set up to get Canada and the USA in the final, but last time European Leftovers did it.

Then it wouldn’t. But it didn’t.

 

[Nicky Santoro]

Americans like Wilbon and Stephen A saying how impressive 16M viewers in N.America was. but true that if this was game was on CBC also, along with ABC, it definitely would've been doubled to 30M viewers, or close to it.

The boys south of the border would've been impressed like hell seeing us get 30M for an NHL all star game and NBA got 4.7M for theirs.

We really showed them this yr. The whole world of basketball is now talking about how great NHL was and how NBA sucked. First Take who never talks hockey, talked more hockey than NBA this week. That's all Stephen A talked about.

Bettman humiliated Adam Silver this week.

 

[Greatzsky 99]

Finnish numbers, the Final doesnt seem to break the top 20, strange when USA-Can had 112k

1. Jääkiekon 4 Nations Face-Off LIVE: Kanad Mon 8:09 PM 1,788,000 752,000

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

Would have been better long-term if USA won.

Nonetheless, close to 9.5 million on cable is insane. Absolute insanity.

Still a chance at the Olympics.
But yeah. If things go well, we could see some really big numbers there.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Still a chance at the Olympics.
But yeah. If things go well, we could see some really big numbers there.

Probably not as big, to 4 nations numbers, with games starting 6-9 hours later, depending where you live. Maybe they play the big games at 1pm over there.

 

[varsaku]

The thing no one really talks about for hockey, as a global sport, the biggest events and moments come in international play. Nothing an NHL game has ever done surpasses anything that whatever country you’re from, among the top handful of countries, has done. And it’s the same for almost any other sport. It’s not something that can be replicated by a day to day grind of a sport, even in the playoffs.

There’s nothing the NHL is going to do to get 9 million viewers. There just isn’t. Unless someone figures out how to make that such a ubiquitous product. Even in the playoffs.

We need to stop viewing hockey as the smallest of the major sports but largest of the niche sports. It is amazing what ice hockey has managed to achieve despite the nature and restrictions of the sport.

Americans like Wilbon and Stephen A saying how impressive 16M viewers in N.America was. but true that if this was game was on CBC also, along with ABC, it definitely would've been doubled to 30M viewers, or close to it.

The boys south of the border would've been impressed like hell seeing us get 30M for an NHL all star game and NBA got 4.7M for theirs.

We really showed them this yr. The whole world of basketball is now talking about how great NHL was and how NBA sucked. First Take who never talks hockey, talked more hockey than NBA this week. That's all Stephen A talked about.

Bettman humiliated Adam Silver this week.

NBA regular season is getting worse as people just wait till the start of the playoffs when things really get interesting. NHL has managed to maintain a relatively stable interest throughout the season but unfortunately doesn't see that massive bump into the playoffs unless it involves one of the major hockey markets.

 

[Greatzsky 99]

We need to stop viewing hockey as the smallest of the major sports but largest of the niche sports. It is amazing what ice hockey has managed to achieve despite the nature and restrictions of the sport.

NBA regular season is getting worse as people just wait till the start of the playoffs when things really get interesting. NHL has managed to maintain a relatively stable interest throughout the season but unfortunately doesn't see that massive bump into the playoffs unless it involves one of the major hockey markets.

Last season NHL had rougly 1/3 of NBAs viewers in the Regular season and 1/3 in the Playoffs, I made a post
about it earlier in the Thread.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

The thing no one really talks about for hockey, as a global sport, the biggest events and moments come in international play. Nothing an NHL game has ever done surpasses anything that whatever country you’re from, among the top handful of countries, has done. And it’s the same for almost any other sport. It’s not something that can be replicated by a day to day grind of a sport, even in the playoffs.

There’s nothing the NHL is going to do to get 9 million viewers. There just isn’t. Unless someone figures out how to make that such a ubiquitous product. Even in the playoffs.

International sports unify entire nations. Club teams simply unify cities. There will always be patriotism as soon as there is the country and its colours represented on a jersey. Americans are as patriotic as they come, and Canadians will always be uber protective and supportive when it comes to the sport of hockey.

Just look how Oilers and Leafs fans are at each other's throats here on these boards. Yet we all celebrated as a nation collectively by a Leaf feeding an Oiler for the championship winner.

 

[Greatzsky 99]

International sports unify entire nations. Club teams simply unify cities. There will always be patriotism as soon as there is the country and its colours represented on a jersey. Americans are as patriotic as they come, and Canadians will always be uber protective and supportive when it comes to the sport of hockey.

Just look how Oilers and Leafs fans are at each other's throats here on these boards. Yet we all celebrated as a nation collectively by a Leaf feeding an Oiler for the championship winner.

Yeah, that is the rule, only exception i know is the Super Bowl.

 

[Greatzsky 99]

Finnish numbers, the Final doesnt seem to break the top 20, strange when USA-Can had 112k

1. Jääkiekon 4 Nations Face-Off LIVE: Kanad Mon 8:09 PM 1,788,000 752,000

It was easily the program with most "reach" in Finland, week 8, if it had been closer also the
most watched, the finnish rating site is just superb, and fast giving out the weekly numbers, it
can be viewed in Enghlish also,

Finnpanel - TV Audience Measurement

 

[Greatzsky 99]

Swedish numbers week 7

 

[Greatzsky 99]

NHL returns from break with gains, if "Four Nations" bump unclear

There is no clear evidence yet of a "Four Nations" bump, but the NHL returned from a two-week break with double-digit gains over last year.

www.sportsmediawatch.com

Saturday’s Capitals-Penguins and Wild-Red Wings NHL regular season games averaged 1.1 million and 944,000 viewers respectively on ABC, up 15 and 21 percent respectively from last year (Rangers-Flyers: 957K; Blues-Red Wings: 779K), but a mixed bag compared to the previous ABC doubleheader two weeks earlier (Golden Knights-Bruins: 1.3M; Lightning-Red Wings: 934K).

On Sunday, TNT and truTV combined to average 560,000 for Rangers-Penguins — up 6% from Flyers-Penguins last year and the network’s largest audience of the season, excluding Four Nations and the Winter Classic. Oilers-Capitals led in with 318,000, up 20% from Lightning-Devils a year ago. TNT had not previously carried any Sunday games this season.

 

[Coinneach]

(via @jheaps4)

NHL on ABC:

January:

Rangers-Capitals: 1.1M
Rangers-Blackhawks: 454k
Bruins - Panthers 1,05M


February:

Blackhawks-Panthers: 723k
Rangers-Bruins: 1.1M
Lightning-Red Wings: 934k
Golden Knights-Bruins: 1.27M
Capitals-Penguins 1.1M
Wild-Red Wings 944k


Cable:

October:

Blues-Kraken: 348k (ESPN)
Bruins-Panthers: 790k (ESPN, non-exclusive)
Blackhawks-Utah: 522k (ESPN)
Rangers-Penguins: 467k (TNT+truTV)
Avalanche-Golden Knights 315k (TNT+truTV)
Wild-Blues: 417k (ESPN)
Flyers-Oilers: 333k (ESPN)
Sabres-Penguins: 512k (TNT+truTV)
Bruins-Avalanche: 340k (TNT+truTV)
Capitals-Flyers: 477k (ESPN)
Avalanche-Kraken: 422k (ESPN)
Kings-Golden Knights: 245k (ESPN)
Flyers-Capitals: 410k (TNT+truTV)
Rangers-Capitals: 412k (ESPN)
Kings-Sharks: 186k (ESPN)
Golden Knights-Kings: 109k (TNT+truTV)

November:

Red Wings-Blackhawks: 411k (TNT+truTV)
Red Wings-Penguins: 354k (TNT, non-exclusive)
Kings-Avalanche 231k (TNT+truTV)
Hurricanes-Flyers: 237k (TNT, non-exclusive)
Predators-Kraken: 155k (TNT+truTV)
Capitals-Lightning: 268k (TNT)
Golden Knights-Avalanche: 207k (TNT, non-exclusive)
Penguins-Bruins: 483k (TNT+truTV)
Avalanche-Stars: 177k (TNT+truTV)

December:

Bruins-Blackhawks: 487k (TNT, non-exclusive)
Stars-Kings: 232k (TNT, non-exclusive)
Rangers-Sabres 478k (TNT+truTV)
Flyers-Red Wings 418k (TNT+truTV)
Panthers-Wild 161k (TNT, non-exclusive)
Blackhawks-Sabres: 245k (ESPN2)
Avalanche-Utah: 258k (ESPN2)
Stars-Blackhawks: 217k (ESPN)
Blues-Blackhawks: 920k (Winter Classic, TNT+truTV)

January:

Avalanche-Blackhawks 283k (TNT, non-exclusive)
Panthers - Utah 183k (TNT)
Red Wings-Panthers: 507k (ESPN)
Oilers-Avalanche 389k (ESPN)
Hurricanes-Sabres: 259k (TNT+truTV)
Oilers-Wild: 324k (TNT+truTV)
Panthers-Kings: 151k (TNT+truTV)
Golden Knights-Stars: 424k (ESPN)
Flyers-Devils: 253k (TNT+truTV)
Penguins-Utah: 138k (TNT+truTV, non-exclusive)

February:

Sharks-Kraken: 175k (ESPN)
Bruins-Rangers: 537k (TNT+truTV)
Oilers-Blackhawks: 217k (TNT+truTV)
Rangers-Penguins 560k (TNT+truTV)
Oilers-Capitals 318k (TNT+truTV)

 

[Reaser]

Every ABC Hockey Saturday has had at least one game go 1.0M+. Streak continuing, that's good.

As expected, no real 4 Nations bump, the increase is OOH as I've explained multiple times the last couple weeks, ha.

 

[Reaser]

Also, can leave it at 560k because that's what media and PR would report but the actual average viewership of Rangers-Penguins Sunday was 549k because the run times on TNT/truTV were different. But networks don't care since all the #'s count in the end and media doesn't care to be accurate & also because at the end of the season all the #'s go in the pot.

Here's the TNT/truTV splits for those that like that:

Oilers-Caps: 286k (TNT) / 32k (truTV)

Rangers-Pens: 474k (TNT) / 86k (truTV)

Also for those interested in the "Skate for LA" numbers:

espn2: 63k
truTV: 82k

 

[Anisimovs AK]

Also, can leave it at 560k because that's what media and PR would report but the actual average viewership of Rangers-Penguins Sunday was 549k because the run times on TNT/truTV were different. But networks don't care since all the #'s count in the end and media doesn't care to be accurate & also because at the end of the season all the #'s go in the pot.

Here's the TNT/truTV splits for those that like that:

Oilers-Caps: 286k (TNT) / 32k (truTV)

Rangers-Pens: 474k (TNT) / 86k (truTV)

Also for those interested in the "Skate for LA" numbers:

espn2: 63k
truTV: 82k

Thats only like 5k off the Panthers-Kings game from January, which was exclusive as well.

Good lord