The public broadcaster says it drew record numbers for the first NHL broadcast of the season Jan. 19. And NHL Finals. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, the Stanley Cup Playoffs logo, the Stanley Cup Final logo, Center Ice name and logo, NHL Conference logos, NHL Winter Classic name, and The Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice are registered trademarks and Stanley Cup Qualifiers name and logo, NHL.TV, Vintage Hockey word mark and logo, The Game Lives Where You Do, NHL Winter Classic logo, NHL Heritage Classic name and logo, NHL Stadium Series name and logo, NHL All-Star logo, NHL Face-Off name and logo, NHL. its most-watched Opening Night in three years. In 2016, viewership in Canada dropped by over 50% but despite that, the NBA Finals never ranked in the top 30.. On Thursday, TNT averaged 1.60 million for Lakers-Rockets, 1.06 million for Clippers-Mavericks and 592,000 for Heat-Bucks. Afterward, the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks averaged 1.1 million viewers on Sportsnet in Canada. Here’s the thing though: He’s right. ET curfew, and fans are excited about a Montreal team with new faces and higher expectations. The Lightning's first game on Fox Sports Sun, against the Blackhawks on Jan. 15, drew 36 percent more than last season's average, while the Florida Panthers' first game on Fox Sports Florida, against the Blackhawks on Sunday, drew 30 percent more than last season's average. The format includes the Scotia North Division, the first all-Canadian division in NHL history, and features rivalries. OF THE NHL WHY CANADA CAN SUPPORT 12 TEAMS O n April 30, 2010, the National Hockey League proudly announced a signifi-cant increase in its United States TV audience. Sweden – 82 (10.3%) Technically, Gus Forslund was the first Swedish player in the NHL, back in the 1932-33 season. In his book Sport and Politics in Canada, Donald Macintosh writes, “In the mid-1960s, the Nielsen TV ratings consistently showed that the Saturday night hockey telecasts were the most popular programs in Canada… In 1969, 6.2 million Canadians watched the Stanley Cup finals between Boston and Montreal.” In their ironically ti… In hockey-mad Canada, TV audiences for NHL games are tumbling, thanks in part to cord-cutting and digital media. Saturday's Hockey Night In Canada season opener averaged 2.3 million viewers -- the highest for a season debut since 2013, and 10 per cent higher than last year's opening which featured a comparable lineup of games. Viewership for the Stanley Cup Finals dipped by 61%, and the NBA Finals were down 49%. The NHL’s pair of outdoor games at Lake Tahoe received plenty of hype last week, and for good reason. More than 5.7 million people reportedly watched at least a portion of Canadiens-Penguins Game … The Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins played at 5:30 p.m. Though it's unclear if this Raptors surge will maintain into next year but it's obvious that the NHL has many problems it needs to solve, chiefly, their social media and fan diversity. TORONTO. update Article was updated Jul. Afterward, the Tampa Bay Lightning unveiled their Stanley Cup championship banner and played the Chicago Blackhawks, and the Colorado Avalanche played the St. Louis Blues. The numbers are in: the recent Stanley Cup Final match was the most-viewed in Canada in four years. Lilley pointed out that “the most recent ratings available show Hockey Night in Canada down more than half a million viewers from their peak earlier this year. "We'll continue to look for opportunities where we can package more hockey together, and look, so far, so good," Byczek said. The Stanley Cup rematch is garnering similar Canadian television ratings as last year. The conference finals averaged 1.14 million viewers. You can watch the viewership decline with those fights declining. There are several possible explanations for this seeming increase in interest. Fans are watching on all their devices. Video: Top 10 Goals from Week 1: McDavid, Crosby, Kane. Use arrows to navigate between autocomplete results. Even the … Demand pent up when the start of the 2020-21 season was delayed until Jan. 13 due to the coronavirus pandemic. It was a great Cup Final. April 13, 2016 by Neal McHale A year ago, five of the seven Canadian teams were getting … The 2015-16 regular season was a banner year for the NHL on U.S. TV, but a worse-than-usual one in Canada. "They're not in the stands, but they're really there, and we can see it as well on other platforms," Neveu said. Rogers Communications is blaming ratings company Numeris for the decline in viewership of NHL games over the past year. "We hope hockey fans from coast to coast are gathering around their viewing devices and that the shared experience of rooting for their favorite teams is providing a much-needed sense of community.". The NHL and its broadcast partners have been creative with scheduling and promotion. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are the property of their respective owners. The NHL uses cookies, web beacons, and other similar technologies. All Rights Reserved. Louie-Philippe Neveu, general manager of TVA Sports, pointed out Quebec is in lockdown with an 8 p.m. "The [2020 postseason was] in a different season than we're used to, so to have hockey back in winter in Quebec was something that people were waiting for.". That’s why hockey doesn’t do well in the TV ratings. It used to be. The conference finals averaged 1.14 million viewers. Though it's unclear if this Raptors surge will maintain into next year but it's obvious that the NHL has many problems it needs to solve, chiefly, their social media and fan diversity. Last week it was down to 721,000. Hockey peaked in 1994 when the Rangers won the Stanley Cup. • 2011 – Game seven was second most-watched CBC Sports program, drawing an average of 8.76 million viewers and trailing only the men's gold medal game in ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics; The backdrop was incredible, the rink looked great, and the … This isn't the first time the NHL has had to deal with low ratings during the Stanley Cup Finals. Locally, last night’s Capitals season opener was NBC Sports Washington’s highest-rated regular season game since the 2018-19 season, … The opening of the 2020-21 NHL season has drawn record-breaking viewership both in the United States and in Canada. Combined, the three games averaged 774,000 viewers, making it the network's most-watched multigame opening night. Combined across the English and French Networks, the game posted 3.057 million viewers (up 83% from last year’s Ottawa/Toronto game). Viewers are down because they took a fundamental part of the game out of it. The Blues' first three games on Fox Sports Midwest drew 34 percent more than their first three games last season, when they were defending champions for the first time. Hockey is not a Big Four sport in this country anymore. Television viewership of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals 2012-2014; Gender breakdown of NHL television audience in 2012-2013 regular season; New York Rangers (NHL) average ticket price 2014/15 Across North America, opening night reached more than 11.4 million viewers, up 52 percent from last season and the most since the start of the 2014-15 season. In hockey-mad Canada, TV audiences for NHL games are tumbling, thanks in part to cord-cutting and digital media. That same night, the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs averaged 2.1 million viewers on Sportsnet in Canada, making it the most-watched regular-season game aired exclusively on the network, and 919,000 viewers on TVA Sports in Quebec. The strong start for the NHL’s shortened season comes less than a month after the NBA opened its shortened season with its most-watched Opening Night in three years. Canadiens-Penguins series leads way as TV ratings soar in Canada, U.S. Game 1 of the Habs-Pens matchup drew an average audience of 1.6 million Saturday and 5.7 million viewers … With no Canadian teams in the NHL Playoffs, ratings in the Great White North have dropped dramatically - roughly 61 per cent - compared to last season through the first week of hockey. It was the least-watched World Series on record . 714; Four Goals Shy of Passing Phil Esposito For Sixth-Most Goals in NHL History, Martin Fehervary Scores Game Winning Goal In Bears 4-3 Overtime Victory Over Devils, Report: Capitals’ Tom Wilson Will Not Appeal Seven-Game Suspension, Ilya Samsonov Starts In Goal, New Lines: News From Capitals Morning Skate, Capitals’ Tom Wilson Suspended Seven Games For Boarding Bruins’ Brandon Carlo. The opening of the 2020-21 NHL season has drawn record-breaking viewership both in the United States and in Canada. The statistic depicts the average TV viewership of NHL season opener games in the United States from 2009 to 2020. "We are thrilled with the way the season has started and are honored to have the responsibility of delivering the best possible hockey coverage to Canadians on a nightly basis during such a challenging and uncertain time. I read an article 2 weeks ago how viewership has tanked since they made the fighting more strict. Enter Search Term. Wednesday’s Penguins-Flyers NHL season opener averaged a Nielsen-estimated 0.48 rating and 932,000 viewers on NBCSN, marking the league’s most-watched Opening Night game since 2014 (Flyers-Bruins: 956K). It regularly averaged more than 2 million viewers for decades. A staple of Canadian television for more than half a century, HNIC has long been the country’s highest-rated TV series. NHL regular-season games averaged 417,000 viewers across NBC, NBCSN and NBC’s digital platforms, down 12% from last year (474K). "But I think the unique process and this unique set of circumstances really allowed us to take a step back and do things a little bit differently than we had in the past.". The Stanley Cup Final between the Washington Capitals and the Vegas Golden Knights on Sportsnet and CBC took in an average audience of 2.7 million viewers, according to Numeris data provided by Sportsnet. That was the NHL. Canadian television. NBCSN opened with a tripleheader on Jan. 13. In Canada, average audiences through … On Thursday, Sportsnet announced that they reached 6.6 million viewers on Wednesday, marking the most-watched NHL Opening Night in the network's history. According to the ratings compiled by Numeris, the primary audience measurement company in Canada, the average audience for Hockey Night In Canada’s Eastern games on … Last Saturday’s Golden Knights-Stars Game 4 was the most-watched of the round with a 0.9 rating and 1.68 million viewers on NBC — up a tick in ratings and 23% in viewership from last year (Sharks-Blues: 0.8, 1.37M) and flat and up 10% respectively from 2018 (Jets-Golden Knights: 0.9, 1.53M). As the NHL planned the 2020-21 season, it worked with the NHL Players' Association and its broadcast partners to navigate countless complications and create an engaging format and schedule. And NHL Finals. Nick Jensen Scores His First Goal As A Washington Capital Against the Philadelphia Flyers, Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin Scores Career Goal No. The pair of games on NBC combined for an average of 1.361 million viewers, making it the most-watched NHL double-header on the channel in four years, with the exception of traditional playoff games. And Sunday night baseball. The two games became the most-watched regular-season doubleheader in Sportsnet history. In short, summertime means it’s time for fans of professional sports to enjoy their favorite pastimes. It had a big market team ending a curse. Major League Baseball opened its shortened season last summer with its top Opening Night audience on record, though that was one of the first major team sporting events after the wave of cancellations and postponements last March. The return of the NHL and the first games played in the Scotia North Division drew record TV ratings in the United States and Canada on Wednesday. Nine of the top 10 most-streamed games on NHL.TV have come this season, and average streams per game are up 99 percent compared to last season. 2011 – Game seven was second most-watched CBC Sports program, drawing an average of 8.76 million viewers and trailing only the men's gold medal game in ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics;; 2010 – Game one was viewed by 3.164 million people on CBC. It was a … Is the NBA more popular than NHL in Canada? Viewership for the first round of the playoffs was up 24 per cent, compared to the year before, with NBC and The NHL Playoffs, sans the Stanley Cup, drew an average of 845,000 viewers on NBC, NBCSN and its digital channels, according to Sportico. The first 11 games across NBC Sports this season averaged 526,000 viewers, 14 percent more than the first 11 games did last season. However, he moved to Canada with his family at a young age. The following is a list of most watched television broadcasts in Canada based on average … Primetime viewership (1.68M) remains 11% ahead of the pre-hiatus average. In short, summertime means it’s time for fans of professional sports to enjoy their favorite pastimes. The Heat-Bucks game — TNT’s earliest weekday game in recent memory, not counting holidays — ranks as the least-watched on ESPN, ABC or TNT this season. The NHL Playoffs, sans the Stanley Cup, drew an average of 845,000 viewers on NBC, NBCSN and its digital channels, according to Sportico. CBC announced Monday that 1.875 million viewers watched the … 2008-2009 season saw 774 fights. Published December 5, ... the primary audience measurement company in Canada, the … The 2016 NHL Playoffs: Is Canada Really Disinterested? "Hockey Night in Canada" debuted with a doubleheader Saturday. Each team is scheduled to play 56 intradivision games this season, with the divisions realigned temporarily due to Canada-United States border restrictions and the need to reduce travel. It drew an average of more than 1.7 million Americans, 42 percent more than the first game on NBC last season. NBA Finals. The Stanley Cup Final matchup between the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues is drawing in viewers in the United States, with around 5.15 million viewers taking in Game 1. So, we put together some stats about sports viewership, fan demographics, and sports fan behaviors that will help brands better target their marketing efforts this summer. With their extraordinary playoff run, the Toronto Raptors keep breaking ratings records in Canada. — CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) January 15, 2021. In 2016, viewership in Canada dropped by over 50% but despite that, the NBA Finals never ranked in the top 30.. "Our website, the top 10 video views every day are highlights from the Canadiens, so the interest is really high.". Including the streaming audience on NBC Sports’ digital platforms, the game averaged 972,000 — the most ever for an NHL regular season game on NBCSN. By Kevin McGran Sports Reporter. The vast majority of fans have been at home and unable to attend games in arenas. NBA Finals. Canada approved the NHL’s plan last month to permit teams to play in the country and begin a new playoff season. Last night’s #CapsSabres season-opener was @NBCSWashington highest-rated regular-season Caps game since the 2018-19 season, and its most-streamed regular-season Caps game on record, and second-highest overall. Sportsnet enjoyed excellent viewership for its two NHL game broadcasts on Wednesday, which marked the first day of the 2020-21 NHL regular season. Fans are tuning into the NHL in record numbers -- in French and English, in Canada and the United States, nationally and regionally, on television and online. The final viewership numbers are in for the 2014 Winter Classic, and they’re staggeringly good for the NHL. "It's clear from our record-breaking opening night numbers that Canadians were ready to see NHL hockey back in action," said Bart Yabsley, president of Sportsnet. With the 2017-18 NHL hockey season up and running for about a month now, it’s time to reflect on how —and how many— Canadian viewers are tuning in. The NHL paused the 2019-20 season March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus. 12, 2019. Through 23 games, each NBC game on NBC Sports averaged 485,000 viewers. The statistic depicts the average TV viewership of NHL season opener games in the United States from 2009 to 2020. Game six was the most-watched All-American Stanley Cup Final game, with 4.077 million viewers. It turns out the country's national game … March 1, 2021 – Puck drop on the NHL season was three months later than usual this year and that’s not the only change. Sports Business Daily notes that it … After completing it Covid-19 bubble in Canada, NHL Chief Business Officer Keith Wachtel tells CNBC that the league hopes to have its virtual advertisement technology for the 2021-22 season. We encourage you to review it carefully. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc.© Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2021. Welcome to NHL.com, the official site of the National Hockey League, Bienvenue à LNH.com , le site officiel de la Ligue nationale de hockey, Добро пожаловать на NHL.com, официальный сайт Национальной хоккейной лиги, Tervetuloa NHL:n viralliselle nettisivustolle NHL.comiin, Välkommen till NHL.com, NHL:s officiella web-sida, Vítejte na NHL.com, oficiálních stránkách National Hockey League, Vitajte na NHL.com, oficiálnych stránkach National Hockey League, Willkommen auf NHL.com, der offiziellen Seite der National Hockey League, Bienvenido a NHL.com, el sitio oficial de la National Hockey League. Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions between Canada and the United States, all seven Canadian teams are playing only each other this … All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. NFL TV viewership south of the border is up 3%, reversing the trend of back-to-back seasons of 10% drops. With round one – and the Playoff run of every Canadian NHL team in the post-season – officially over, Sportsnet is reporting a slight improvement over last year’s first round. By comparison, that same day, CTV’s Mary’s Kitchen Crush—a cooking show featuring MasterChef Canada winner Mary Berg—had a viewership of approximately 424,000. And soccer season. NHL’s return scores top shelf with viewers: Numeris The season opener between the Leafs and Canadiens was the most-watched broadcast in Canada, with … Last Saturday’s Golden Knights-Stars Game 4 was the most-watched of the round with a 0.9 rating and 1.68 million viewers on NBC — up a tick in ratings and 23% in viewership from last year (Sharks-Blues: 0.8, 1.37M) and flat and up 10% respectively from 2018 (Jets-Golden Knights: 0.9, 1.53M). Television ratings for return of NHL up, sets records: The opening of the 2020-21 NHL season has drawn record-breaking viewership both in the United Stats and in Canada. Return of hockey has 'incredibly passionate' fans glued to games on all devices. Just a few examples: When the Vegas Golden Knights and Anaheim Ducks played each other to open their seasons Jan. 14, it was the third-most watched game on the Golden Knights' network, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain. With round one – and the Playoff run of every Canadian NHL team in the post-season – officially over, Sportsnet is reporting a slight improvement over last year’s first round. So, we put together some stats about sports viewership, fan demographics, and sports fan behaviors that will help brands better target their marketing efforts this summer. NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. Washington Capitals Fans of Northern Virginia (NoVa Caps, LLC) is not associated with the Washington Capitals; the NHL, or its properties. Slow start for Rogers' NHL viewership despite more games, more stations. Thu., May 30, 2019 timer 3 min. that was the fighting. 1 / 10. In Canada, however, more and more sports fans are tuning out on the NHL and tuning into the NBA. All rights reserved. "We would never think of dropping a puck at 5:30 Eastern in a normal year," Byczek said. "NHL fans are incredibly passionate," said Justin Byczek, senior vice president of programming and rights management at NBC Sports Group. It outperformed last season's opening night telecast on the Ducks' network, Prime Ticket, by 62 percent. It also helped promote four games on NBCSN on Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. NHL viewership on NBC’s broadcast and cable channels is up 8% over the comparable number of games last year. The first game on NBC this season was between the Penguins and Washington Capitals on at noon ET Sunday. It was a fast paced series. All Rights Reserved. By using NHL websites or other online services, you consent to the practices described in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, including our Cookie Policy. Game 1 of the Canadiens-Penguins matchup drew an average audience of 1.6 million Saturday on Hockey Night in Canada and 5.7 million viewers tuned in at some point during the evening. The most recent ratings available show Hockey Night in Canada down more than half a million viewers from their peak earlier this year. An average of 1.1 million viewers have tuned into the coverage across Sportsnet and its various affiliate broadcasters (such as OMNI and CBC) in round one, representing a 6% lift year-over year. ET). And soccer season. 2018-2019 saw just 224. read. Fans are tuning into the NHL in record numbers -- in French and English, in Canada and the United States, nationally and regionally, on television and online. 'Hockey Night' Ratings Collapse, With No Canadian Teams In NHL Playoffs "HNIC" averages 2 million viewers. ... Hockey Night In Canada Returns With Record Viewership. Numeris, the company that provides Canadian broadcast ratings, reported a significant decrease in viewers for last weekend’s NHL all-star game. An average of more than 2.8 million Canadians tuned into CBC, Sportsnet and TVA Sports to watch the Maple Leafs play the Ottawa Senators and the Canadiens play the Edmonton Oilers, 13 percent more than last season's average audience. "I think after a really successful bubble Stanley Cup Playoffs, people are ready to get back to hockey.". NHL viewership numbers off to an impressive start 2.15.2021 The Penguins have seen a 50% jump in ratings on AT&T SportsNet. ET and averaged 972,000 viewers in the United States, making it the network's most-watched regular-season game ever. "There were tons of models and tons of following the bouncing ball -- or the vulcanized rubber, I should say -- as things changed," Byczek said. Hockey Night in Canada’s ratings were up 11 per cent from the 2015-16 season to an average audience of 1.8 million viewers for the 7 p.m. game, and up six per cent (560,000 viewers… Viewership for the race peaked with a TV-only audience of 1.414 million viewers during the final laps of Pagneaud’s exciting victory (5:45-5:52 p.m. As much as the return of sports programming has proven to be an all-you-can-eat buffet for fans who’d been starved of live action for so many months, the gluttonous spread that’s been laid out by Major League Baseball, the NBA and the NHL may be a bit too much for viewers to swallow.. The first of 10 games in 2020-21 between Original Six rivals Toronto and Montreal drew 2.1 million viewers on Sportsnet – the most-watched regular-season game ever aired exclusively on the network – and an additional 919,000 on TVA Sports. Locally, last night’s Capitals season opener was NBC Sports Washington’s highest-rated regular season game since the 2018-19 season, and its most-streamed regular-season game on record. (Poll), Capitals Defense: Individual Player Performance After 24 Games, Capitals Shoot Down Flyers, 3-1; Alex Ovechkin Scores Goal #714, Number One For No. Washington Capitals | News, Analysis, Opinion, NHL Reschedules Capitals-Bruins Game In April, Television Ratings For Return Of NHL Are Up, Set Records. And Sunday night baseball. 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Combine opening night with the Maple Leafs-Oilers game Wednesday, and the first two Wednesday nights of the season on Sportsnet averaged more than 1.4 million viewers, 54 percent more than last season's first two Wednesday nights on Sportsnet. Regional networks have posted impressive numbers. NHL Insider NHL opens season with record viewership in United States, Canada Return of hockey has 'incredibly passionate' fans glued to games on all devices On the national and international front, Wednesday’s opening night of the 2020-21 season saw record viewership in Canada and the United States. "I think people were happy to get hockey back during a season when we're used to having hockey," Neveu said. by It was the most-watched regular-season non-outdoor game on NBC in almost three years. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © NHL 2021. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. The League returned with a 24-team tournament without fans in the stands in bubbles in Edmonton and Toronto from Aug. 1-Sept. 28. This isn't the first time the NHL has had to deal with low ratings during the Stanley Cup Finals. with its top Opening Night audience on record, For Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, It’s “Shoot First, Shoot First, Shoot First”, From Screaming Eagle to Reverse Retro: What’s Your Favorite Washington Capitals Jersey? Nicholas J. Cotsonika. The debut of the first All-Canadian division in NHL history opened with two games on Sportsnet with overall coverage reaching 6.6 million viewers – marking the most-watched NHL Opening Night in Sportsnet history. The NHL has updated its Privacy Policy effective January 16, 2020. In Canada, ratings have been unsurprisingly even higher.