NHL TV ratings 2022/2023

[Fenway]

Winter Classic sets new cable mark, if still on low side

TNT's NHL Winter Classic viewership set a cable record for a second-straight year, if still below the NBC-era norm.

www.sportsmediawatch.com

The NHL Winter Classic — Penguins-Bruins from Fenway Park in Boston — averaged 1.78 million viewers on TNT Monday afternoon, the largest regular season NHL audience ever on cable and up 31% from the previous high set by last year’s Winter Classic (Blues-Wild: 1.4M).

This year marks just the second time since 2014 that Winter Classic viewership has increased over the previous edition. Viewership also increased for the previous Winter Classic to involve the Bruins, against the Blackhawks at Notre Dame Stadium in 2019.

Despite the multiple highs, this year’s audience tops only last year as the lowest for the Winter Classic. Keep in mind the event aired on broadcast from 2008-20. The previous times the Bruins hosted the Winter Classic, it averaged 2.78 million in 2016 (against Montreal from Gillette Stadium) and 3.68 million in 2010 (against Philadelphia from Fenway).

The WC still appeals to hockey fans but it loses casual viewers it might attract on a broadcast network. It still is a massive revenue generator in the host city.

The NHL runs the event with an iron fist and Bruins STH's holders were livid when they changed the configuration of the ice after tickets were sold. They also used the Fenway organist instead of the Bruins.

 

[eddygee]

Looks like Liam McHugh will be the new AppleTV MLS Studio host. Looks like Turner and him have worked out a agreement per his Twitter page.

 

[Anisimovs AK]

Looks like Liam McHugh will be the new AppleTV MLS Studio host. Looks like Turner and him have worked out a agreement per his Twitter page.

This seems off topic in the NHL tv ratings thread. Save it for the MLS thread on the Business of Sports board

 

[eddygee]

This seems off topic in the NHL tv ratings thread. Save it for the MLS thread on the Business of Sports board

Nah It's NHL related it's talking about a NHL lead studio host taking another gig to do the exact thing for another league. Worth mentioning. Placed it in the TV ratings section because it's media related.

No harm in mentioning it as a blip and didn't want to create a thread for this nugget. If it was pure MLS related with no NHL tie I'd place it in the MLS thread obviously. If mod thinks other wise he can move it there no sweat. Just thought it was interesting. McHugh's gonna be a very busy guy especially if he's gonna do both gigs full time as he states.

 

[jkrdevil]

Nah It's NHL related it's talking about a NHL lead studio host taking another gig to do the exact thing for another league. Worth mentioning. Placed it in the TV ratings section because it's media related.

No harm in mentioning it as a blip and didn't want to create a thread for this nugget. If it was pure MLS related with no NHL tie I'd place it in the MLS thread obviously. If mod thinks other wise he can move it there no sweat. Just thought it was interesting. McHugh's gonna be a very busy guy especially if he's gonna do both gigs full time as he states.

Both gigs are one day a week for the most part. No different than when he did NHL, ND, and NFL at NBC.

My guess is Stanley Cup Playoffs he takes off MLS as TNT has weekend coverage for NHL.

 

[eddygee]

Both gigs are one day a week for the most part. No different than when he did NHL, ND, and NFL at NBC.

My guess is Stanley Cup Playoffs he takes off MLS as TNT has weekend coverage for NHL.

I think there will be two days a week with the other gig l, but agree he definitely probably will take off for the Stanley Cup Playoffs despite what he's saying now. He can definitely do both roles I don't see him doing both full time as he's saying now.

 

[Reaser]

NHL on TNT last night:

Pregame: 155k (0.03 demo)
Preds-Leafs: 258k (0.08)
Sharks-Kings: 217k (0.08)
Postgame: 86k (0.03)

 

[Coinneach]

NHL TV ratings 2022/23

10/11/2022 Rangers - Tampa Bay 744k (ESPN)
10/11/2022 Los Angeles - Vegas 556k (ESPN)
10/12/2022 Boston - Washington 629k (TNT)
10/12/2022 Chicago - Colorado 526k (TNT)
10/18/2022 Philadelphia - Tampa Bay 494 (ESPN)
10/18/2022 Los Angeles - Nashville 339 (ESPN)
10/19/2022 Philadelphia - Florida 338k (TNT)
10/19/2022 St. Louis - Seattle 300k (TNT)
10/23/2022 Anaheim - Detroit 187k (ESPN)
10/25/2022 Colorado - Rangers 750k (ESPN)
10/25/2022 Vegas - San Jose 319k (ESPN)
10/26/2022 Rangers - Islanders 550k (TNT)
10/26/2022 Tampa Bay - Anaheim 270k (TNT, non-exclusive)

1/11/2022 Boston - Pittsburgh 699k (ESPN)
1/11/2022 Anaheim - San Jose 234k (ESPN)
2/11/2022 Pittsburgh - Buffalo 236k (TNT, non-exclusive)
6/11/2022 Toronto - Carolina 213k (ESPN)
8/11/2022 Edmonton - Tampa Bay 374k (TNT)
8/11/2022 Nashville - Seattle 175k (TNT)
9/11/2022 Pittsburgh - Washington 408k (TNT)
9/11/2022 Minnesota - Anaheim 183k (TNT, non-exclusive)
10/11/2022 Chicago - St. Louis 264 (TNT, non-exclusive)
10/11/2022 Los Angeles - Edmonton Oilers 242k (TNT)
13/11/2022 Tampa Bay - Washington 236k (ESPN)
23/11/2022 Philadelphia - Washington 373k (TNT)
23/11/2022 Ottawa - Vegas 176k (TNT)
25/11/2022 Philadelphia - Pittsburgh 488k (TNT)
25/11/2022 St. Louis - Tampa Bay 332k (TNT)
30/11/2022 Detroit - Buffalo 314k (TNT)
30/11/2022 Edmonton - Chicago 239k (TNT)

6/12/2022 Buffalo - Columbus 219k (TNT)
6/12/2022 Rangers - Vegas 181k (TNT, non-exclusive)
11/12/2022 St. Louis - Colorado 240k (ESPN)
13/12/2022 Washington - Chicago 378k (ESPN)
14/12/2022 Detroit - Minnesota 259k (TNT, non-exclusive)
14/12/2022 Vancouver - Calgary 195k (TNT)
18/12/2022 Rangers - Chicago 281k (ESPN)
21/12/2022 New Jersey - Florida 267k (TNT)
21/12/2022 Edmonton - Dallas 226k (TNT)
28/12/2022 Boston - New Jersey 536k (TNT)
28/12/2022 Calgary - Seattle 204k (TNT)

1/1/2023 Islanders - Seattle 237k (ESPN)
1/2/2023 Boston - Pittsburgh 1,78M (TNT, WC)
1/3/2023 Los Angeles - Dallas 391k (ESPN)
1/4/2023 New Jersey - Detroit 399k (TNT)
1/4/2023 Minnesota - Tampa Bay 302k (TNT)
1/5/2023 Washington - Columbus 450k (ESPN)
1/11/2023 Nashville - Toronto 258k (TNT)
1/11/2023 San Jose - Los Angeles 217k (TNT)
1/12/2023 Toronto - Detroit 446k (ESPN)
1/18/2023 Boston - Islanders 280k (TNT, non-exclusive)
1/18/2023 Dallas - San Jose 174k (TNT)
1/20/2023 Tampa Bay - Edmonton 323k (ESPN)

 

[Anisimovs AK]

The amount of games featuring a Canadian team is very interesting to me

 

[4mats4]

The amount of games featuring a Canadian team is very interesting to me

I guess that means featuring team variety is a focus of the networks, not necessarily milking the most ratings out of games which, to me is a sign they are at least trying to cater to fans. With NBC everyone complained that they kept seeing the same teams over and over again which was clearly an attempt by NBC to try and pack as many ratings juggernaut teams into their schedule as possible. I like the variety of teams, however, I do think if they tweaked some things with the schedule (like pairing larger markets with smaller markets i.e Rangers - Senators), they'd be able to show more team variety while still pulling better ratings

 

[jkrdevil]

I think if either ESPN or TNT had exclusive rights we would be seeing as many Canadian teams (save Toronto because of Matthews, Oilers because of McDavid and Montreal when they are competitive). Each are more limited on appearances per team and the need to fill out schedule.

Especially TNT doing a double header each week, they need the western Canada teams to fill out the late games. If they weren’t locked into a double header and did multiple nights like NBCSN did, then there would be less. That’s part of having the B package with more restrictions on games.

 

[Reaser]

I think if either ESPN or TNT had exclusive rights we would be seeing as many Canadian teams (save Toronto because of Matthews, Oilers because of McDavid and Montreal when they are competitive). Each are more limited on appearances per team and the need to fill out schedule.

Especially TNT doing a double header each week, they need the western Canada teams to fill out the late games. If they weren’t locked into a double header and did multiple nights like NBCSN did, then there would be less. That’s part of having the B package with more restrictions on games.

Yup, part of TNT showing 'other' & Canadian teams is because they have to, by default. Because of the limit of national games teams can have, that they share with Disney, and because for the most part they have a late game every Wednesday night and there is only so many teams that can be shown in that time slot.

Combined Disney/TNT max out the usual markets (Rangers, Bruins, Flyers, etc) same as NBC/SN did -- difference being NBCSN had the full package AND had a ton more non-exclusive games and those were filled by comcast/NBCUniversal owned (full or partially) RSN's, so they would go over the national exclusive game limit and end up with near 20 Blackhawks games and 20 Flyers games and extra Caps games and extra Sharks games.

Disney isn't going to have any non-exclusive games -- other than potentially Caps games in the future for Ovi record/chase and TNT is seeing this year the ratings killer(s) that non-exclusive games are and already changed their scheduled games a couple weeks ago to swap out a non-exclusive for an exclusive game. Think they'll have more of that next year where they just tried to avoid them from the start/original broadcast schedule or they might even schedule less games and have more singleheader Wednesday's in the early window. Since they don't even max their games out currently.

 

[jkrdevil]

Yup, part of TNT showing 'other' & Canadian teams is because they have to, by default. Because of the limit of national games teams can have, that they share with Disney, and because for the most part they have a late game every Wednesday night and there is only so many teams that can be shown in that time slot.

Combined Disney/TNT max out the usual markets (Rangers, Bruins, Flyers, etc) same as NBC/SN did -- difference being NBCSN had the full package AND had a ton more non-exclusive games and those were filled by comcast/NBCUniversal owned (full or partially) RSN's, so they would go over the national exclusive game limit and end up with near 20 Blackhawks games and 20 Flyers games and extra Caps games and extra Sharks games.

Disney isn't going to have any non-exclusive games -- other than potentially Caps games in the future for Ovi record/chase and TNT is seeing this year the ratings killer(s) that non-exclusive games are and already changed their scheduled games a couple weeks ago to swap out a non-exclusive for an exclusive game. Think they'll have more of that next year where they just tried to avoid them from the start/original broadcast schedule or they might even schedule less games and have more singleheader Wednesday's in the early window. Since they don't even max their games out currently.

IIRC, those extra Hawks, Caps, Flyers and Sharks games NBCSN had were still blacked out in the local markets in the regular season (they had at the end live aside coverage in playoffs like ESPN and TNT have). Of course for those games they had shared production with the RSN, using their camera shots and just laying over national announcers.

 

[Reaser]

IIRC, those extra Hawks, Caps, Flyers and Sharks games NBCSN had were still blacked out in the local markets in the regular season (they had at the end live aside coverage in playoffs like ESPN and TNT have). Of course for those games they had shared production with the RSN, using their camera shots and just laying over national announcers.

Yes, that's what I meant. They were non-exclusive games (that didn't help ratings) because the local markets watched on the RSN and everyone else had the game on NBCSN.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

22

NHL REGULAR SEASON L: TORONTO/DETROIT

ESPN

7:00 PM

158

0.15

446

 

[Anisimovs AK]

I guess that means featuring team variety is a focus of the networks, not necessarily milking the most ratings out of games which, to me is a sign they are at least trying to cater to fans. With NBC everyone complained that they kept seeing the same teams over and over again which was clearly an attempt by NBC to try and pack as many ratings juggernaut teams into their schedule as possible. I like the variety of teams, however, I do think if they tweaked some things with the schedule (like pairing larger markets with smaller markets i.e Rangers - Senators), they'd be able to show more team variety while still pulling better ratings

Its partly this and mostly what the Devil dude said.

I do think it will end up benefitting Western Conference playoff ratings though, as fans will be more familiar with a lot more of the players/teams etc

 

[Coinneach]

 

[Fenway]

Wednesday's early TNT game - Boston and Islanders will not be exclusive as NESN will carry the game in New England.

 

[Reaser]

Wednesday's early TNT game - Boston and Islanders will not be exclusive as NESN will carry the game in New England.

1 of 5 remaining scheduled non-exclusive games left on the TNT schedule.

 

[4mats4]

Wednesday's early TNT game - Boston and Islanders will not be exclusive as NESN will carry the game in New England.

Hello sub 300k number! They have to figure out how to minimize non-exclusive games. It’s just leaving viewership on the table

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

51

NHL REGULAR SEASON L: BOSTON/NY ISLANDERS

TURNER NETWORK TELEVISION

7:36 PM

157

0.08

280

90

NHL REGULAR SEASON L: DALLAS/SAN JOSE

TURNER NETWORK TELEVISION

10:13 PM

159

0.05

174

 

[Bostonzamboni]

[TABLE=collapse]
[TR]
[TD]51[/TD]
[TD]NHL REGULAR SEASON L: BOSTON/NY ISLANDERS[/TD]
[TD]TURNER NETWORK TELEVISION[/TD]
[TD]7:36 PM[/TD]
[TD]157[/TD]
[TD]0.08[/TD]
[TD]280[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[TABLE=collapse]
[TR]
[TD]90[/TD]
[TD]NHL REGULAR SEASON L: DALLAS/SAN JOSE[/TD]
[TD]TURNER NETWORK TELEVISION[/TD]
[TD]10:13 PM[/TD]
[TD]159[/TD]
[TD]0.05[/TD]
[TD]174[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

And I wonder what TNT will draw for tonight's big Celtics vs. Warriors 2022 Finals revisit.

Close to 3 million, right?

In comparison to the NHL, I saw ratings the other day for a select few recent TNT or maybe ESPN NBA games which drew "only" 800,000+ to 900,000+ this month -- but that's unusually low for the NBA on cable. If only the NHL could get 450,000 to 550,000 minimums on cable.

And I'm sure tonight's Celtics vs. Warriors is exclusive...very exclusive.

Do TNT and ESPN even air non-exclusive NBA games?

 

[Reaser]

If only the NHL could get 450,000 to 550,000 minimums on cable.

Do TNT and ESPN even air non-exclusive NBA games?

400k is my # for minimum, only a 50k difference. ESPN doesn't have non-exclusive NHL games. Only TNT does, went over the how/why earlier in this thread, but non-exclusives have long been ratings killers, obviously.

Here's some #'s.

ESPN is averaging 400k for their first 18 games. Exactly at my personal cutoff for disappointing/doing okay. Would note among those 18 there are the games likely to makeup a lot of the lowest viewed games they'll have this season. So I expect ESPN to finish with a respectable avg. viewership number. Might go down here and there but at the end of the season should be fine/"okay," at worst.

TNT is different. 350k average for their 34 games so far. Broken down, 379k average for their 27 exclusive games, and 239k for their 7 non-exclusive games, so far. Common sense that the late games as part of their doubleheaders drag averages down so just have to live with that (i.e. people in rest of country aren't staying up to watch the Sharks play) but it's the non-exclusives that I think should and can be avoidable that are the issue, to me. And can see in the average (of per game avg. viewership) that the non-exclusives drag TNT's avg. down roughly 30k. Not that 379k is to be celebrated but obviously better than 350k.

Combined 52 games between ESPN/TNT are at an avg. of 367k. If you exclude TNT's non-exclusive games, the combined national cable broadcasts avg. goes up to 387k. Closer to that 400k cutoff, or whatever minimum standard you subscribe to, it's closer without the non-exclusives.

 

[jkrdevil]

And I wonder what TNT will draw for tonight's big Celtics vs. Warriors 2022 Finals revisit.

Close to 3 million, right?

In comparison to the NHL, I saw ratings the other day for a select few recent TNT or maybe ESPN NBA games which drew "only" 800,000+ to 900,000+ this month -- but that's unusually low for the NBA on cable. If only the NHL could get 450,000 to 550,000 minimums on cable.

And I'm sure tonight's Celtics vs. Warriors is exclusive...very exclusive.

Do TNT and ESPN even air non-exclusive NBA games?

I believe many of the ESPN and TNT NBA games live along side the regional broadcast, where TNT and ESPN aren’t blacked out in local markets but the regionals still can air the game. It works that way for the NHL for round 1 of the playoffs.

It can work in the NBA because you are dealing with higher viewership numbers overall. The league makes too much from the regionals to reduce the number of games they get. The league was only able to get the love along side arrangement for round 1, by withholding in market (tv everywhere) streaming rights for the regionals until they consented to allowing (then) NBCSN ago air locally alongside. Even than regionals such as NESN and Pittsburgh’s held out originally.

I’m not sure either ESPN or TNT care about regular season numbers overall. For ESPN the whole deal is a digital play for ESPN. For TNT it is about playoffs. Their baseball deal is also non-exclusive for regular season and those games draw about the same as NHL regular season numbers.

 

[Reaser]

323k (0.11 demo) for Lightning-Oilers on ESPN last night.