"Huge NHL audience increases astound sports networks"

[FraserOtt]

Granted, this is in Canada.

- CBC's Hockey Night in Canada is averaging 1.652 million for the first game of its Saturday doubleheader. That's a jump of 42% over 2003-04, the last season the NHL was on the ice. It gets even better. Game 2's average is 1.223 million, a gain of 82% over '03-04.

- Through 11 games, TSN was pulling in an average of 684,000 for its NHL telecasts. That's a whopping 156% increase over 2003-04 at the same point (the season average that year was 322,000). The huge gains started right on opening night, when 2.1 million tuned into TSN's Senators-Leafs game -- the largest NHL audience in the network's 21-year history. No NHL game on TSN had even cracked a million before then.

- Rogers Sportsnet also hit the history books with the NHL this week. Monday's Bruins-Leafs game pulled in an audience of 791,000, an all-time NHL best for the 'Net. Here's the real kicker -- the game was only seen in southern Ontario. Canucks, Flames and Oilers ratings on the 'Net have also risen sharply.

- Senators ratings on Sportsnet have mushroomed in a major way. Through three games, the 'Net's average is 176,000 -- more than triple the 50,000 average for the first three Sens games on Sportsnet in 2003-04. It's the largest gain recorded for any of the 'Net's five regional team packages. "We're delighted," said Sportsnet spokesman Dave Rashford. "There's a real buzz around the Senators. It's an exciting team."

http://ottawasun.com/Sports/Columnists/Brodie_Rob/2005/10/28/1282081-sun.html

Click to read more...

 

[chiavsfan]

Amazing what an 18 month layoff, and some exciting hockey can do for people huh?

 

[HABitual]

Amazing what an 18 month layoff, and some exciting hockey can do for people huh?

It's too bad it won't have a trickle down effect into the US

 

[GentlemanOfLeisure]

people in canada, like myself here in new jersey, missed hockey like i missed breathing. But in the usa, they could care less. Once people in canada figure out that watching penalty fests and ice capades isnt what they really missed watching in the first place, those ratings will bottom out, i say by mid season. The new NHL product blows, and everyone knows it.

 

[EventHorizon]

people in canada, like myself here in new jersey, missed hockey like i missed breathing. But in the usa, they could care less. Once people in canada figure out that watching penalty fests and ice capades isnt what they really missed watching in the first place, those ratings will bottom out, i say by mid season. The new NHL product blows, and everyone knows it.

Whatever you're smoking, may I have some?

 

[Brent Burns Beard]

The new NHL product blows, and everyone knows it.

i concur ... a big yawn fest.

dr

 

[chiavsfan]

i concur ... a big yawn fest.

dr

Yeah I hate seeing end to end hockey, and exciting fast paces skating. I would much rather see a bunch of 1-0 games where there are only 15 shots on goal each game, and a bunch of people jammed in a corner for 10 minutes, while goalies like JS Giguere continue to be able to not move and still block pucks

 

[Sp5618]

Granted, this is in Canada.

This is the most important thing you said. Canada's interest in hockey was never in doubt.

 

[Little Wing]

T.V. ratings are garbage, only a handful of people get invited to do the ratings and it is averaged out by what they put down that they watched each day. I've done them before, and it is easy to not give the truth as to what you are veiwing.
Take it with a grain of salt, like everything we are told, it is all propaganda. And also not all U.S. people are anti-hockey.
Some of us are Anti-NFL and NBA

 

[Namso]

what are rds ratings like?

 

[Bear of Bad News]

while goalies like JS Giguere continue to be able to not move and still block pucks

For what it's worth, Giguere is playing pretty well thus far in the season.

 

[Cawz]

people in canada, like myself here in new jersey, missed hockey like i missed breathing. But in the usa, they could care less. Once people in canada figure out that watching penalty fests and ice capades isnt what they really missed watching in the first place, those ratings will bottom out, i say by mid season. The new NHL product blows, and everyone knows it.

Are you just sad because your team is sucking under the new NHL?

I think its funny that you say "everyone knows it" in a thread about record audiences tuning into the game. Sound like "everyone" likes the new NHL and just "you" and a couple other grumps think it blows.

 

[Pens75]

FOX TV rating comparison...

- Pittsburgh Pirates averaged about a 4.5 rating for their recently completed season

- Pittsburgh Penguins season opener had a rating number of 7.5
- Detroit Red Wings season opener had a rating number of 8.1

- St. Louis Blues, up 24 percent to a 2.1
- Columbus Blue jackets, up 69 percent to a 2.2
- Boston Bruins, up 107 percent to a 2.9
- Pheonix Coyotes, up 140 percent to a 1.2
- San Jose Sharks, up 200 percent to a 1.5
- Tampa Bay Lightning, up 257 percent to a 2.5

- Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers game had a rating number of 0.4

 

[Spungo*]

i concur ... a big yawn fest.

dr

As usual, every single fact flies right in your face and destroys your baseless argument. Ratings through the roof, attendance up league-wide, goals up, third period comebacks up, polls showing the vast majority of Candians prefer the new NHL to the old NHL. Enough for you?

 

[Spungo*]

people in canada, like myself here in new jersey, missed hockey like i missed breathing. But in the usa, they could care less. Once people in canada figure out that watching penalty fests and ice capades isnt what they really missed watching in the first place, those ratings will bottom out, i say by mid season. The new NHL product blows, and everyone knows it.

The ratings will "bottom out" to what? To only 95% higher than the 2003-2204 clutch and grab, grown men holding eachother hockey? Maybe in San Fransisco, but not anywhere else.

 

[Verbal Kint*]

Yeah I hate seeing end to end hockey, and exciting fast paces skating. I would much rather see a bunch of 1-0 games where there are only 15 shots on goal each game, and a bunch of people jammed in a corner for 10 minutes, while goalies like JS Giguere continue to be able to not move and still block pucks

And I thought I was the only one.

 

[Drop The Gloves]

The "new" NHL owns all. How can you not like it? It is fast, exciting, and fun to watch. It actually gives small market teams (like my Sabres) a chance to make the playoffs without buying every player here and there. I'm sorry your team can adapt to the NHL. Go watch the Nets.

 

[Squiddy*]

TV ratings are just sampled for a 10th of the population. Look at the world series this year... no one cared to watch it... It was two teams no one couldn't care less about. That has been going on foralmost a decade in hockey. I doubt anyone cared to watch Tampa vs Calgary. Or New Jersey vs Anyone. Detroit vs San Antonio in the NBA finals didn't do well either. As for the new NHL? For every person you can find that says they hate it another you can find another ten that love it.

 

[neelynugs]

i concur ... a big yawn fest.

dr

i agree - i'd much rather see bob goodenow on TV saying "no cap"

 

[ColoradoHockeyFan]

- St. Louis Blues, up 24 percent to a 2.1
- Columbus Blue jackets, up 69 percent to a 2.2
- Boston Bruins, up 107 percent to a 2.9
- Pheonix Coyotes, up 140 percent to a 1.2
- San Jose Sharks, up 200 percent to a 1.5
- Tampa Bay Lightning, up 257 percent to a 2.5

Just curious... are these percentage comparisons between last season's opener and this season's opener? Or are they comparisons between each team's average rating for all of last season and their opener for this season?

 

[The Devil In I]

The "new" NHL owns all. How can you not like it? It is fast, exciting, and fun to watch. It actually gives small market teams (like my Sabres) a chance to make the playoffs without buying every player here and there. I'm sorry your team can adapt to the NHL. Go watch the Nets.

I think thats supposed to say "cant adapt to the NHL", which is taking a stab at the Devils....if so, while they havn't played great at all....they did beat your team with their back up goalie in, no?

 

[roryb]

Ratings up, attendance doing relatively well around the league, and the most exciting, fast-paced hockey since the Oiler days of the 80's.

When people say this new product blows, they don't like the game of hockey how it was meant to be...plain and simple. The myth of hitting being down is just that, a myth. The games are intense, and so exciting to watch.

Please, if you don't like the NHL, go watch Junior C hockey or something, and don't ruin this for the rest of us.

 

[Squiddy*]

Ratings up, attendance doing relatively well around the league, and the most exciting, fast-paced hockey since the Oiler days of the 80's.

When people say this new product blows, they don't like the game of hockey how it was meant to be...plain and simple. The myth of hitting being down is just that, a myth. The games are intense, and so exciting to watch.

Please, if you don't like the NHL, go watch Junior C hockey or something, and don't ruin this for the rest of us.

I agree..

 

[Slats432]

Please, if I may. And Wally, you might back me up or some of the oldtimers.

I have been a hockey fan since 1974 or so. I cut my teeth being a Habs fan in the mid seventies. I am a traditionalist and agree with much(Not all) of what Don Cherry has said over the years.

This new NHL is the closest thing to what I fell in love with in the 70s. Skating, skill, no hooking or grabbing, big checks, the odd tussle...and if you make a great play, the Michelin man isn't there to stop you.

Spezza looks like Denis Savard out there...dipsy doodling, scoring highlight reel goals. Ovechkin is incredible...and this Staal kid....talk about a young Hawerchuk....WHOOO!!!.

As a passionate fan, I didn't hate the NHL of 2003-04, but I could easily turn off a game if I had something else to do....today...my Centre Ice is working overtime.

This is the same game that the Habs played in the 70s and the Oilers played in the 80s....or close to.

How someone could possibly prefer that grabbing crap we saw in the early 2000s is beyond me.

Go watch a classic game between the Habs and Bruins or the Oilers and anyone....and that is what they were going for....and I believe they succeeded.

 

[Rakiet*]

Being realistic you can't expect this trend to keep up long term. Mid-way through the season and near the end will tell, but the best barometer iwll be if its kept up next season