WOW I am shocked at that number, rated higher than the MLB game on the main network and a lot of games this season
WOW I am shocked at that number, rated higher than the MLB game on the main network and a lot of games this season
The MLB game was blacked out in Chicago and St. Louis. It’s about 100,000 higher than the Vegas expansion draft, though that was combined with the Awards.
The MLB game was blacked out in Chicago and St. Louis. It’s about 100,000 higher than the Vegas expansion draft, though that was combined with the Awards.
In the new ESPN/TNT deals are all the NHL games exclusive or are they still allowing regionals to pick up the games?
In the new ESPN/TNT deals are all the NHL games exclusive or are they still allowing regionals to pick up the games?
WOW I am shocked at that number, rated higher than the MLB game on the main network and a lot of games this season
Even Ben Maler (sp?) mentioned it on his overnight syndicated sports radio show, and seemed surprised it beat a historic baseball rivalry (though yes, just one of many games between them in the regular season.) Ok, maybe 200,000+ were watching combined in Chicago and St. Louis on regional cable, which would've bumped the rating over the draft, if exclusive?
It was good viewership numbers for the draft on ESPN2 and yeah I get your mention on the MLB game reportedly doing well on the local RSN's, about 100k ish each market it's still only about 750k for MLB if the game was exclusive, that's still not good and is why ESPN reduced their package and payout to MLB. I mean I felt the same way when games on NBCSN would get 100-200k viewership and folks would say well it wasn't exclusive when for most NHL markets at the time on avg we'ree talking a additional 20-40k each market so a total of 40-80k more if more games had been exclusive. Noot really changing the scope of a meh NBCSN rating. So still not good for MLB as again which is why ESPN significantly trimmed the fat off that MLB contact from $700m yr to $550m yr. I also don't think NBA sees the type of money and fee jump they got back in 2014.
Ratings: Gold Cup, NHL drafts, MLB, PGA Tour
Facing the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics, the first round of the NHL Draft averaged 268,000 on ESPN2 Friday night — up 3% from last year, when the event aired in November on NBCSN (259K). Compared to the 2019 draft, which aired on NBCSN in June, viewership declined 27% from 365,000.
Two nights earlier, the Seattle Kraken expansion draft averaged a substantially stronger 637,000 on ESPN2. The previous expansion draft — for the Golden Knights in 2017 — was part of an NHL Awards telecast that averaged 595,000 on NBCSN.
On a side note I just saw how low the average ratings for ESPN and ESPN 2 monthly. ESPN 2 averages like 200k on a high end daily... ESPN averages higher but a far cry from where these numbers were in the 2000s. Their formula for the last decade or so must be wearing thin with all the talking head content and hot takes plus cord cutting.
I would not be surprised if they move some of those ESPN plus NHL exclusive games to ESPN 2 or at some point move everything from ESPN 2 to ESPN plus and cut the cord on the channel.
The ESPN press release says 25 regular season games will be on ESPN or ABC. The other 75 games games are on HULU.Maybe a few games move to ESPN2 if they isn’t any pressing programming that week. But as long as NBA is on ESPN, NHL isn’t going to have many games on ESPN during the regular season
The ESPN press release says 25 regular season games will be on ESPN or ABC. The other 75 games games are on HULU.
Maybe a few games will slip to ESPN2 but it doesn't appear that way based on the agreement.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/31039351/nhl-back-espn-7-year-multiplatform-deal?platform=amp&ved=2ahUKEwjjrdOV4YnyAhUQLBoKHVCyD0gQFjACegQIEhAC&sqi=2&usg=AOvVaw2JFDRy0n26-2sVnJeHPign&cf=1
I don’t see ESPN wanting to change. The whole point of the deal is to drive espn+, that is more important than espn2
How long before ESPN2 content just moves over to plus then? Do you see it being ESPN and ESPN plus in the future? I can't imagine why would they keep ESPN2 around with such low average monthly viewership.
It will be over the next decade plus as contracts expire and the will steadily add more events to espn+. Until then they will happy take the subscriber fees for ESPN2, which are inflated a bit because it is packaged with ESPN. ESPN2 has never really been about ratings, it’s always been about the fees and a place to put content to keep away from a competitor.
If your estimate of direct to consumer comes true - the NHL is ahead of the curve and will be front and center on ESPN though the most of the decade. Bold move that could bode well for them long term with that type of visibility.