NHL TV ratings 2023/2024

[jkrdevil]

That is a pitifully low number of games. Not one matchup against MacKinnon or Matthews either. His one visit to MSG per year should be an automatic national TV game too.

Well the Oiler-Leaf games are going to be reserved for the prime Canadian TV spots. ESPn technically took all of McDavid’s trip to New York area, but they put all three games on Hulu.

That said scheduling overall needs to be better. Tonight’s ESPN game is Avalanche-Blackhawks. I get loading up on Chicago early in the season with Bedard intrigue, but having them on this late in the season is a killer.

If the intrigue of a game is based on a single player or market and the team is expected to be bad put the game on early in the season. After January the schedules should be focused on teams who are at least expected to be in the playoff race.

 

[Green Blank Stare]

Well the Oiler-Leaf games are going to be reserved for the prime Canadian TV spots. ESPn technically took all of McDavid’s trip to New York area, but they put all three games on Hulu.

That said scheduling overall needs to be better. Tonight’s ESPN game is Avalanche-Blackhawks. I get loading up on Chicago early in the season with Bedard intrigue, but having them on this late in the season is a killer.

If the intrigue of a game is based on a single player or market and the team is expected to be bad put the game on early in the season. After January the schedules should be focused on teams who are at least expected to be in the playoff race.

Hulu doesn't count. No streaming stuff; only broadcast TV.

 

[jkrdevil]

Hulu doesn't count. No streaming stuff; only broadcast TV.

I agree. But it’s hard for ESPN to take the equivalent of non-exclusive game (because Edmonton doesn’t bring a local market) more than once or twice, when they have so few games for the actual network and carry games on crowded nights. Easier for TNT to take the oilers as they are already taking so non-exclusive games and Wednesdays are sparse so there is more of an opportunity to grab your general hockey fan.

 

[Reaser]

the equivalent of non-exclusive game (because Edmonton doesn’t bring a local market)

I tried to explain they don't bring a local market a couple pages back. Evidently didn't do a good job of it.

 

[Reaser]

Well the Oiler-Leaf games are going to be reserved for the prime Canadian TV spots. ESPn technically took all of McDavid’s trip to New York area, but they put all three games on Hulu.

Exactly. Though, just to point out another case of "NHL scheduling," the first (and so far only) Leafs-Oilers game this season wasn't Nationally Broadcast in Canada. Everyone complained about it, naturally, and as they should. Ended up being a great game, with a great atmosphere, as well. So the NHL even managed to botch a gimme like that.

And even though the McDavid NY area trip (that I also mentioned a couple pages back) was 3 games on ESPN+/hulu, it still had a lot of promotion. Saw the "McDavid's Hockey Holiday" promo/commercial for it a ton. ESPN dot com even had a "McDavid Week" thing. So, is it great? No. Is it more than "zero promotion," yes.

 

[Green Blank Stare]

Exactly. Though, just to point out another case of "NHL scheduling," the first (and so far only) Leafs-Oilers game this season wasn't Nationally Broadcast in Canada. Everyone complained about it, naturally, and as they should. Ended up being a great game, with a great atmosphere, as well. So the NHL even managed to botch a gimme like that.

And even though the McDavid NY area trip (that I also mentioned a couple pages back) was 3 games on ESPN+/hulu, it still had a lot of promotion. Saw the "McDavid's Hockey Holiday" promo/commercial for it a ton. ESPN dot com even had a "McDavid Week" thing. So, is it great? No. Is it more than "zero promotion," yes.

Content locked behind a paywall isn't the same as traditional broadcast. It is not widely available to the public.

The NBA is not hiding a Warriors/Lakers game on Hulu/ESPN+.

 

[Reaser]

Content locked behind a paywall isn't the same as traditional broadcast

Didn't say it was. I said there was promoting of McDavid.

 

[Reaser]

-NHL on TNT avg viewership last night-

Blues-Oilers: 281k

 

[Reaser]

-NHL on ESPN avg viewership last night-

Avalanche-Blackhawks: 369k

 

[Coinneach]

NHL TV ratings 2023/24

1/13/2024 Rangers-Capitals 954k (ABC)
2/10/2024 Blues-Sabres 709k (ABC)
2/10/2024 Capitals - Bruins 901k (ABC)
2/17/2024 Kings-Bruins: 823k (ABC)
2/17/2024 Oilers-Stars: 759k (ABC)
2/17/2024 Flyers-Devils: 1.132M (ABC, Stadium Series)
2/18/2024 Rangers-Islanders: 1.568M (ABC, Stadium Series)
2/24/2024 Blues-Red Wings: 779k (ABC)
2/24/2024 Rangers-Flyers: 957k (ABC)
3/2/2024 Panthers-Red WIngs 847k (ABC)
3/9/2024 Hurricanes-Devils 637k (ABC)
3/9/2024 Bruins-Penguins 997k (ABC)

Cable:

10/10/2023 Predators-Lightning: 598k (ESPN)
10/10/2023 Blackhawks-Penguins: 1.431M (ESPN)
10/10/2023 Kraken-Golden Knights: 691k (ESPN)
10/11/2023 Blackhawks-Bruins 896k (TNT)
10/11/2023 Avalanche-Kings 377k (TNT)
10/17/2023 Lightning-Sabres 552k (ESPN)
10/17/2023 Avalanche-Kraken 513k (ESPN)
10/18/2023 Penguins-Red Wings: 699k (TNT)
10/19/2023 Blackhawks-Avalanche: 401k (ESPN)
10/24/2023 Leafs-Capitals: 475k (ESPN)
10/24/2023 Bruins-Blackhawks: 526k (ESPN)
10/24/2023 Flyers-Golden Knights: 278k (ESPN)
10/25/2023 Capitals-Devils: 452k (TNT)
10/29/2023 Oilers-Flames: 271k (TBS, HC)
10/31/2023 Kings-Leafs 418k (ESPN)

11/1/2023 Sabres-Flyers: 309k (TNT, non-exclusive)
11/1/2023 Blues-Avalanche: 212k (TNT, non-exclusive)
11/7/2023 Red Wings-Rangers: 532k (TNT)
11/7/2023 Devils-Avalanche: 288k (TNT)
11/8/2023 Panthers-Capitals: 390k (TNT)
11/8/2023 Kings-Golden Knights: 334k (TNT)
11/15/2023 Flyers-Hurricanes: 365k (TNT)
11/15/2023 Islanders-Canucks: 236k (TNT)
11/22/2023 Bruins-Panthers 517k (TNT)
11/22/2023 Golden Knights - Stars 314k (TNT, non-exclusive)
11/24/2023 Penguins-Sabres 528k (TNT)
11/24/2023 Avalanche-Wild 406k (TNT)
11/29/2023 Red Wings-Rangers: 757k (TNT)

12/6/2023 Stars-Panthers 311k (TNT)
12/6/2023 Hurricanes-Oilers 179k (TNT)
12/7/2023 Stars-Capitals 470k (ESPN)
12/7/2023 Devils-Kraken 255k (ESPN)
12/12/2023 Red Wings-Blues 626k (ESPN)
12/12/2023 Blackhawks-Oilers 406k (ESPN)
12/13/2023 Bruins-Devils 538k (TNT, non-exclusive)
12/13/2023 Sabres-Avalanche 244k (TNT, non-exclusive)
12/20/2023 Islanders-Capitals 307k (TNT, non-exclusive)
12/20/2023 Kraken-Kings 182k (TNT, non-exclusive)
12/27/2023 Bruins-Sabres 438k (TNT)

1/1/2024 Kraken-Golden Knights 1.101M (TNT+truTV, WC)
1/3/2024 Devils-Capitals 358k (TNT, non-exclusive)
1/4/2024 Bruins-Penguins 846k (ESPN)
1/10/2024 Wild-Stars 362k (TNT)
1/10/2024 Golden Knights-Avalanche 278k (TNT, non-exclusive)
1/11/2024 Leafs-Islanders 327k (ESPN)
1/17/2024 Red Wings-Panthers 198k (TNT, non-exclusive)
1/24/2024 Hurricanes-Bruins 314k (TNT, non-exclusive)
1/24/2024 Blackhawks-Kraken: 235k (TNT)
1/26/2024 Golden Knights-Rangers: 569k (ESPN)
1/31/2024 Kings-Predators: 159k (TNT, non-exclusive)

2/7/2024 Lightning-Rangers 413k (TNT)
2/7/2024 Wild-Blackhawks 271k (TNT)
2/8/2024 Lightning-Islanders 298k (ESPN)
2/14/2024 Panthers-Penguins 336k (TNT+truTV)
2/19/2024 Leafs-Blues: 378k (ESPN)
2/19/2024 Red Wings-Kraken: 414k (ESPN)
2/21/2024 Flyers-Blackhawks: 387k (TNT)
2/21/2024 Bruins-Oilers: 288k (TNT)
2/22/2024 Capitals-Lightning: 361k (ESPN)
2/25/2024 Lightning-Devils 265k (TNT, non-exclusive)
2/25/2024 Flyers-Penguins 529k (TNT)
2/28/2024 Blues-Oilers: 281k (TNT)
2/29/2024 Avalanche-Blackhawks: 369k (ESPN)

3/3/2024 Devils-Kings 283k (TNT)
3/6/2024 Sabres-Leafs: 357k (TNT)
3/6/2024 Red Wings-Avalanche: 286k (TNT, non-exclusive)
3/6/2024 Oilers-Penguins: 354k (TNT)
3/6/2024 Predators-Wild: 359k (TNT)

 

[S E P H]

-NHL on ESPN avg viewership last night-

Avalanche-Blackhawks: 369k

Not bad, I would think the number peaked high, but had a low average since the Blackhawks are seriously bad.

At least this new deal is trying to market the NHL stars, which will not change overnight. This time it was MacKinnon vs Bedard.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

Saturday (3/2) sports ratings: NBA, college hoops, golf, racing and more

A Western Conference Finals rematch featuring another milestone for LeBron James delivered the top sports audience of Saturday, March 3.

www.sportsmediawatch.com

In the NHL, Panthers-Red Wings scored a 0.49 and 847,000 on ABC, up from Avalanche-Stars a year ago (0.46, 795K). (ABC carried a doubleheader on the same weekend last year, also scoring a 0.6 and 1.13 million for Rangers-Bruins.)

 

[Reaser]

-NHL on TNT avg viewership Sunday-

Devils-Kings: 283k

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

This saturday should be the one to get 1M on ABC I think

 

[Reaser]

This saturday should be the one to get 1M on ABC I think

The combined # is almost assuredly going to be over 1.0M.

ABC alone 'should' do that, and should be something that's easily done. So that's what's of interest to see there, to me.

 

[Reaser]

-NHL on TNT avg viewership last night-

Sabres-Leafs: 357k
Red Wings-Avalanche*: 286k

*Non-exclusive game

 

[Reaser]

-NHL on ESPN avg viewership last night-

Blues-Devils: 326k

 

[NextBigThing]

Is it just me or do the numbers seem to be terrible this season? Playoffs won’t be much better. The western conference is a dumpster fire for tv ratings.

 

[Reaser]

Is it just me or do the numbers seem to be terrible this season? Playoffs won’t be much better. The western conference is a dumpster fire for tv ratings.

It's just you.

U.S. average viewership is up YoY for Overall average viewership, Overall exclusive games, on cable, for cable exclusives, for cable non-exclusives, on ESPN, and on TNT. It's only down on ABC,

Do agree the Western Conference is trending towards having rough viewership in the U.S.. Though a boost in Canada. And the further Florida and Carolina go -like last season- blocks big #s in the East, too. Have to wait and see on that, though. Everyone thought Boston was going to carry the playoff #s last season -and they did, for one round- all the way through and that obviously didn't happen.

 

[Reaser]

-NHL on ABC avg viewership Saturday-

Hurricanes-Devils: 637k

Penguins-Bruins (combined): 1.161M
-ABC: 997k
-Disney Channel: 125k
-Disney XD: 39k


Note: Canes-Devils is the least-viewed ABC game since the new rights deal started.

 

[S E P H]

-NHL on ABC avg viewership Saturday-

Hurricanes-Devils: 637k

Penguins-Bruins (combined): 1.161M
-ABC: 997k
-Disney Channel: 125k
-Disney XD: 39k


Note: Canes-Devils is the least-viewed ABC game since the new rights deal started.

ESPN/TNT probably hate how many games the Penguins are on the national broadcast, I am expecting a ton of viewers to drop for them.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

So close to get a full 1M on ABC alone lol

 

[Reaser]

-NHL on TNT avg viewership Sunday-

Oilers-Penguins: 354k
Predators-Wild: 359k

 

[S E P H]

-NHL on TNT avg viewership Sunday-

Oilers-Penguins: 354k
Predators-Wild: 359k

I wish these were getting in the 500k for Sunday games, but cable doesn't do well regardless. Still, solid numbers for 3 below-average TV market teams.

 

[Reaser]

I wish these were getting in the 500k for Sunday games, but cable doesn't do well regardless. Still, solid numbers for 3 below-average TV market teams.

Here's the #'s for all 20 Sunday games TNT has had, to-date

862k (2023)
807k (2023)
671k (2023)
529k (2024)
487k (2022)
462k (2022)
433k (2022)
*403k (2023)
390k (2023)
377k (2023)
*368k (2023)
359k (2024)
354k (2024)
349k (2022)
348k (2022)
297k (2022)
292k (2022)
283k (2024)
*265k (2024)
248k (2022)

*-non-exclusive

21/22 season wasn't good, but it was first season and thrown together schedule. Last season did good to really good. This season hasn't been good. All but one game in the bottom half and 2 of the bottom 3 games.

Isn't really any excuses for it.

The good news? Last season the three best #s came on MAR 12, APR 2 and APR 9. Even the three best games in '22 came on APR 10, APR 10 and APR24. Those are dates this seasons Sunday TNT schedule hasn't got to, yet. So based on that, should expect -at worst- better numbers to come starting this Sunday. On the other hand, based on the schedule, this Sunday is likely to produce the best Sunday TNT # this season.