Three NHL Stanley Cup Playoff games on NBC this past weekend averaged a 50% increase in overnight ratings compared to last year’s coverage on the network, according to official overnight ratings data released today by The Nielsen Company. The increase includes Sunday’s Flyers-Penguins game on NBC, which posted the best Conference Quarterfinal game in 11 years and the best for any NHL playoff game, excluding the Stanley Cup Final, in a decade.
This past weekend’s three games on NBC – Capitals-Bruins on Saturday, Predators-Red Wings in the early window on Sunday, and Penguins-Flyers in the late window on Sunday – combined for a 1.8 overnight rating, up 50% compared to two games broadcast on the same weekend on NBC last year, which averaged a 1.2 overnight.
PENGUINS-FLYERS: The Flyers 8-4 victory over the intra-state rival Penguins on Sunday registered a 2.3 overnight rating, up 77% compared to last year’s comparable game (Capitals-Rangers; 1.3 overnight) and making it the best overnight rating for a Conference Quarterfinal game in 11 years (4/21/01; ABC regional; 2.5), and the best for any NHL playoff game, excluding the Stanley Cup Final, in a decade (5/18/02; ABC, Avalanche-Red Wings Conference Final; 2.4).
CAPITALS-BRUINS: The Capitals 2-1 double-overtime win over the defending Stanley Cup champion Bruins on Saturday produced a 1.5 overnight rating, up 36% compared to last year’s comparable game (Coyotes-Red Wings; 1.1 overnight).
PREDATORS-RED WINGS: The Predators 3-2 win over the Red Wings on Sunday generated a 1.5 overnight rating, which is up 36% compared to the NHL regular-season overnight average on NBC, excluding the Winter Classic and Thanksgiving Friday game. There is no network comparison to last year as NBC only broadcast two games the first weekend of the playoffs. This is the first year in NHL history that all playoff games are being shown nationally.
MOMENTUM CONTINUES: The NBC overnight results for 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs are consistent with ratings increases experienced by the NBC Sports Network. Through two days of the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs (the only national data available at this time), NBC Sports Network’s viewership is up 22% compared to the first two days of last year’s playoffs (600,000 vs. 490,000).
Wednesday’s and Thursday’s combined coverage of the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on both NBC Sports Network and CNBC had a total audience of 5.37 million viewers, a 31% increase vs. last year, when NBC Sports Network (formerly VERSUS) was the only channel to show games (4.11 million).