NHL TV ratings 2023/2024

[Kirk Van Houten]

The nhl is probably worried right now

Worried? The next big TV deal coming up is the Rogers one a canadian team in the SCF gives them a big Playoffs which Toronto hasn't been able to deliver so now they could get them to pay up again.

 

[joelef]

Worried? The next big TV deal coming up is the Rogers one a canadian team in the SCF gives them a big Playoffs which Toronto hasn't been able to deliver so now they could get them to pay up again.

I’m talking on the us front

 

[S E P H]

I think more American casual hockey fans care about the idea of a Canadian team winning than any of you give them credit for. I think everyone is scarred by ratings disasters in the mid 2000s, but that was before Canada‘s losing streak hit 30+ years.

Also, Edmonton might be a small market with relatively low name recognition but anyone who knows anything about hockey knows what the Oilers are because of Gretzky. They aren’t the Winnipeg Jets or the Ottawa Senators.

No American cares about a Canadian team winning the Cup, but for weird reasons, Canadians are obsessed by it like it's a birthright or something. It's very weird.

Edmonton-Carolina was a very poorly rated series. 3rd lowest rated game 5 of all time, second lowest rated game 6 of all time, lowest rated game 7 on broadcast of all time (apparently Oilers-Flyers game 7 in 87 was the worst ever, but that was on ESPN. It also involves the Oilers, so not completely irrelevant to the argument)

I am expecting this series to be reminiscent of the 2007 one. I am not doubting Oiler's ability to win the Cup, but on paper, Florida should eat them alive.

 

[Brodie]

No American cares about a Canadian team winning the Cup, but for weird reasons, Canadians are obsessed by it like it's a birthright or something. It's very weird.

I've literally talked to half a dozen people today who only casually watch hockey and are excited for Canada to win it again.

 

[S E P H]

I've literally talked to half a dozen people today who only casually watch hockey and are excited for Canada to win it again.

I meant they (Americans) don't track how many "years" it has been since a Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup. They don't care, all they want is their team in the Finals, if not, then the next team they do not want is a rival club. Of course, Bruin fans don't want to see the Leafs or Habs ever win the Cup, but they don't have any care if Edmonton wins it. On the other hand, Kings fans don't want to see Edmonton win it because there is a developed rivalry there from the last couple of seasons, but the Duck fans and other fans in that division don't really care.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

I’m talking on the us front

Oh well I think it could've been worse Edmonton has stars to showcase and Florida going over Boston and the Rangers well people know who the Panthers are as usual the NHL needs length in the series more than stars or franchises. Since covid no finals has gone 7 games in either NBA/NHL/MLB so it would be a good bump combined with ooh for example to get number to levels before the pandemic.

 

[Reaser]

 

[NextBigThing]

I'm predicting Florida in 4 and an average of 2.2 million viewers on ABC. This would be the lowest (excluding the 2020 bubble) since the legendary Anaheim/Ottawa 2007 final.

 

[Reaser]

-Stanley Cup Playoffs viewership Friday-

Oilers-Stars: 1.621M
-TNT: 1.574M
--truTV (DataCast): 47k

 

[Bostonzamboni]

I'm predicting Florida in 4 and an average of 2.2 million viewers on ABC. This would be the lowest (excluding the 2020 bubble) since the legendary Anaheim/Ottawa 2007 final.

I'll be watching on my phone on DirectTV Stream.

That counts nowadays in the rating, right? I think for the past few years in fact.

We used to see streaming numbers, occasionally, but I haven't seen that all season. I wonder why. Maybe The Final ratings will show the streaming audience? Do other sports often include streaming numbers nowadays? Hmmm .. but I don't recall seeing it for any sport this year.

I think I read someplace a few years ago that a recorded show counts in the rating, as long as the viewer watches at least a small portion, and within a few days. If doesn't watch at all, then it might not count? Or if watches weeks later, of course it's then too late for it to count.

Just don't worry about it? Most hockey fans couldn't care less, right?

So complicated, huh?

 

[joelef]

Oh well I think it could've been worse Edmonton has stars to showcase and Florida going over Boston and the Rangers well people know who the Panthers are as usual the NHL needs length in the series more than stars or franchises. Since covid no finals has gone 7 games in either NBA/NHL/MLB so it would be a good bump combined with ooh for example to get number to levels before the pandemic.

Nobody outside hockey fans knows who Edmonton stars are though.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

That's ESPN problem since they talk more about LeBron's son instead of real actual players

I'll be watching on my phone on DirectTV Stream.

That counts nowadays in the rating, right? I think for the past few years in fact.

We used to see streaming numbers, occasionally, but I haven't seen that all season. I wonder why. Maybe The Final ratings will show the streaming audience? Do other sports often include streaming numbers nowadays? Hmmm .. but I don't recall seeing it for any sport this year.

I think I read someplace a few years ago that a recorded show counts in the rating, as long as the viewer watches at least a small portion, and within a few days. If doesn't watch at all, then it might not count? Or if watches weeks later, of course it's then too late for it to count.

Just don't worry about it? Most hockey fans couldn't care less, right?

So complicated, huh?

They should since they will broadcast it on espn+

 

[Golden_Jet]

Nobody outside hockey fans knows who Edmonton stars are though.

Ya imagine not wanting to see the best player in the world.

 

[Jets4Life]

While I don’t think NBC would be laughing. The matchup would greatly affect potential ad revenue.

If we look at the time frame NBC had the Stanley Cup playoffs, they lucked out from 2008-15. In 2006 and 2007, NBC recorded some of their worst ratings ever. I believe the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals (Chicago vs Boston), had the most viewers per game.

With the exception of 2019, the finals matches from 2016-22 were not that impressive. I would not judge the TBS/ESPN contract by the first two years of the contract. The big market teams will start to make appearances, and things will even out eventually.

 

[Bixby Snyder]

Hopefully if the Oilers win McDavid can move on to a bigger market where he can properly be marketed.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

If we look at the time frame NBC had the Stanley Cup playoffs, they lucked out from 2008-15. In 2006 and 2007, NBC recorded some of their worst ratings ever. I believe the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals (Chicago vs Boston), had the most viewers per game.

With the exception of 2019, the finals matches from 2016-22 were not that impressive. I would not judge the TBS/ESPN contract by the first two years of the contract. The big market teams will start to make appearances, and things will even out eventually.

The 2008 - 2019 streak is unreal:

2008/2009 -Penguins v Red Wings (six games and seven game rematch)
2010 - Blackhawks v Flyers (six games)
2011 - Bruins v Canucks (seven games)
2012 - Devils v Kings (probably the worst matchup for the ratings of this era still six games)
2013 - Blackhawks v Bruins (probably the dream matchup)
2014 - Rangers v Kings (five games so the most disappointing series of this era for NBC)
2015 - Blackhawks v Tampa Bay (six games)
2016/2017 - Penguins v Sharks/Penguins v Predators (both six games)
2018 - Capitals v Golden Knights (Vegas first year was good for the ratings)
2019 - Bruins v Blues (seven games)

NBC was really lucky that time.

 

[varsaku]

Hopefully if the Oilers win McDavid can move on to a bigger market where he can properly be marketed.

He doesn't seem like the type of person to willingly go to a market with a bigger magnifying glass on players. A team would have to offer the max deal and be a contender for him to even consider it.

 

[Reaser]

-Stanley Cup Playoffs viewership Saturday-

ABC Rangers-Panthers: 3.016M

 

[Reaser]

-Stanley Cup Playoffs viewership Sunday-

Oilers-Stars: 1.980M
-TNT: 1.911M
--truTV (DataCast): 69k

 

[Anisimovs AK]

-Stanley Cup Playoffs viewership Sunday-

Oilers-Stars: 1.980M
-TNT: 1.911M
--truTV (DataCast): 69k

Looks like I was right that a Game 7 was going to be the only thing taking the WCF over 2 million viewers.


Truly intrigued to see how this Edmonton-Florida series does.

-Stanley Cup Playoffs viewership Saturday-

ESPN Rangers-Panthers: 3.016M

I wonder what peak viewership was

 

[4mats4]

ECF Rangers-Panthers averaged 2,288,333 viewers over 6 games
WCF Oilers-Stars averaged 1,709,833 viewers over 6 games

 

[Golden_Jet]

-Stanley Cup Playoffs viewership Sunday-

Oilers-Stars: 1.980M
-TNT: 1.911M
--truTV (DataCast): 69k

Any numbers on Canada’s numbers yet.

 

[Reaser]

Any numbers on Canada’s numbers yet.

CANADA avg viewership (English only):

-FRIDAY-
SN Oilers-Stars: 1.667M

-SATURDAY-
Rangers-Panthers: 1.408M
-CBC: 685k
--SN: 723k

-SUNDAY-
SN Stars-Oilers: 2.347M


-Combined USA/CAN #'s (English-only)-

Oilers-Stars (Game 5): 3.288M
Rangers-Panthers (Game 6): 4.424M
Stars-Oilers (Game 6): 4.327M

 

[Reaser]

 

[LadyStanley]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1798029452867469514