NHL TV ratings 2023/2024

[Reaser]

-2023/24 Regular Season U.S. Avg of Avg Viewership-

Overall: 490k (113 games)
-Exclusive: 528k (95 games)
--Non-exclusive: 286k (18 games)

Disney (ABC/ESPN): 651k (50 games)

Cable: 401k (94 games)
-Exclusive: 429k (76 games)
--Non-exclusive: 286k (18 games)

For comparison to last season:

-2022/23 NHL Regular Season U.S. Avg of Avg Viewership-

Overall: 454k (112 games)
-Exclusive: 476k (100 games)
--Non-exclusive: 266k (12 games)

Disney (ABC/ESPN/espn2): 573k (50 games)

Cable: 368k (97 games)
-Exclusive: 382k (85 games)
--Non-exclusive: 266k (12 games)

 

[Reaser]

Hockey Night in Canada averaged 1.265M this season. Up 7% YoY.

And here's the PR #'s (include mystery streaming numbers):

 

[NextBigThing]

There was zero sports competition on tv last night. Would have been a great night to start the playoffs.

 

[Anisimovs AK]

For last night, ESPN PR has:

Kraken-Wild: 591k
Oilers-Avs: 482k

Thats quite a number for game featuring a Canadian team

 

[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)
3/16/2024 Rangers-Penguins: 798k (ABC)
3/23/2024 Panthers-Rangers: 836k (ABC)

4/6/2024 Lightning-Penguins: 883k (ABC)
4/6/2024 Panthers-Bruins: 1.218M (ABC)
4/12/2024 Islanders-Rangers: 877k (ABC)
4/12/2024 Kraken-Stars: 586k (ABC)
4/12/2024 Bruins-Penguins: 1.188M (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)
3/13/2024 Kings-Blues: 246k (TNT, non-exclusive)
3/13/2024 Capitals-Oilers: 213k (TNT+truTV)
3/17/2024 Islanders-Rangers: 408k (TNT)
3/17/2024 Devils-Golden Knights: 308k (TNT)
3/20/2024 Leafs-Capitals: 331k (TNT)
3/20/2024 Wild-Kings: 179k (TNT)
3/21/2024 Kraken-Golden Knights: 173k (ESPN)
3/24/2024 Penguins-Avalanche: 248k (TNT, non-exclusive)
3/27/2024 Bruins-Lightning: 472k (TNT, non-exclusive)
3/31/2024 Ducks-Canucks: 195k (TNT)

4/3/2024 Devils-Rangers: 559k (TNT+truTV)
4/3/2024 Oilers-Stars: 337k (TNT+truTV)
4/3/2024 Sabres-Red Wings: 448k (TNT)
4/3/2024 Stars-Avalanche: 430k (ESPN)
4/9/2024 Capitals-Red Wings: 635k (ESPN)
4/9/2024 Wild-Avalanche: 350k (ESPN)
4/10/2024 Golden Knights-Oilers: 211k (TNT, non-exclusive)
4/13/2024 Kraken-Blues: 152k (TNT)
4/13/2024 Avalanche-Golden Knights: 302k (TNT+truTV)
4/14/2024 Wild-Kings: 439k (ESPN)
4/16/2024 Leafs-Panthers: 316k (ESPN)
4/17/2024 Leafs-Lightning: 344k (TNT+truTV)
4/17/2024 Blues-Stars: 331k (TNT+truTV)
4/17/2024 Kraken-Wild: 591k (ESPN)
4/17/2024 Oilers-Avs: 482k (ESPN)

 

[LetsGoBruins97]

Does anyone have any thoughts on why numbers were good on cable but underwhelming on ABC this year?

 

[Reaser]

Does anyone have any thoughts on why numbers were good on cable but underwhelming on ABC this year?

ABC: Had a lot of games that looked like 1.0M on-paper and then they obviously didn't do that. All the reasons one can say, scheduling, games picked, and so on, but why is really anyone's guess.

Cable: Besides the Bedard debut, which is only one game, that helped on the top end. It's really that the floor continues to be raised.

Last season had 13 games under 200k, this season had 8.
Last season had 41 games under 300k, this season had 28.
Last season had 71 games under 400k, this season had 57.
Last season had 26 games on Cable over 400k, this season 37.

 

[S E P H]

Does anyone have any thoughts on why numbers were good on cable but underwhelming on ABC this year?

My theory is that they're on Saturdays which is a day that people do a lot of things on (only NCAAF and golf work this day). All the NBC 1+ million viewers were mid-day NFL-esque Sunday games which is more of a chillax day for families. Whatever the case is, however, it needs to improve.

 

[Reaser]

My theory is that they're on Saturdays which is a day that people do a lot of things on (only NCAAF and golf work this day). All the NBC 1+ million viewers were mid-day NFL-esque Sunday games which is more of a chillax day. Whatever the case is, however, it needs to improve.

Well, we saw last season that "ABC Hockey Saturday" can average [just] over 1.0M. So down is down this year.

But yes, next deal/renewal or if NBA's upcoming deal opens up Sunday on ABC, the NHL needs to be trying to get on Sunday OTA. More than trying, it needs to make it happen.

The best OTA time slots are a straight line from worst-to-best Saturday morning to Sunday night.

NHL is in the worst (1pmET) and second worst (3/3:30pmET) weekend OTA slots majority of the time.

The circumstance aside, there's zero surprise, to me, that the most-viewed game this season was Sunday OTA at 3pmET -- scheduled, puck drop was closer to the even better slot of Sunday 4pmET.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

Cable drives most-watched NHL season in eight years

NHL regular season games averaged 504,000 viewers across ABC, ESPN and TNT, up 8% from last year and the most-watched season since 2015-16 on NBC and NBCSN (505K). ESPN was the driving force behind the increase, as its average viewership increased 25% to 486,000. TNT was up 1% to 363,000 and ABC was actually down 8% to 934,000. The cable average of 410,000 viewers is the highest for any NHL season in 30 years — since 1993-94 (474K) — surpassing the previous high of 392,000 for the lockout-shortened 2013 season on NBCSN. (As with any multi-year high of that sort, keep in mind that out-of-home viewing was not tracked prior to 2020.)

 

[Reaser]

Cable drives most-watched NHL season in eight years

NHL regular season games averaged 504,000 viewers across ABC, ESPN and TNT, up 8% from last year and the most-watched season since 2015-16 on NBC and NBCSN (505K). ESPN was the driving force behind the increase, as its average viewership increased 25% to 486,000. TNT was up 1% to 363,000 and ABC was actually down 8% to 934,000. The cable average of 410,000 viewers is the highest for any NHL season in 30 years — since 1993-94 (474K) — surpassing the previous high of 392,000 for the lockout-shortened 2013 season on NBCSN. (As with any multi-year high of that sort, keep in mind that out-of-home viewing was not tracked prior to 2020.)

Edit: Got rid of my rant about missing games and including some but not all mystery streaming numbers (still stand behind it but said it all before):

SMW was asked about the PR numbers and reply was, paraphrasing:

Heritage Classic on TBS was excluded. DET-FLA replacement TNT game was excluded, Big City Greens numbers were excluded. ESPN+ numbers are added for ABC games (and the select ESPN games that are also on ESPN+.) ABC avg was 918k unweighted but after weighting the #'s the ABC (including ESPN+) avg is 934k, largely because the Stadium Series broadcast ran long and that was the biggest # this season so it increased the ABC #.

 

[Reaser]

 

[NextBigThing]

Some random guy on twitter with 2k followers is not a legit source. This post should be deleted.

 

[Reaser]

In Canada they are way down. The demographics of Canada are rapidly changing and hockey is not nearly what it once was there.

^ - Some random person with 783 posts trolling a hockey forum is not a legit source. All their posts should be deleted.

FWIW, HNIC was up 7% YoY. Sourced.

 

[Anisimovs AK]

Some random guy on twitter with 2k followers is not a legit source. This post should be deleted.

Says the person who has never provided a real source for anything haha

 

[Chileiceman]

Some random guy on twitter with 2k followers is not a legit source. This post should be deleted.

That guy has a hockey media and ratings blog. Announcer Lineup for April 22-28th’s Stanley Cup Playoff Games - The NHL Zone

 

[Reaser]

 

[Coinneach]

Maple Leafs number is poor

 

[Reaser]

-Stanley Cup Playoffs viewership Saturday-

Combined Islanders-Hurricanes: 873k
-TBS: 707k
--truTV: 166k

Combined Leafs-Bruins: 1.136M
-TBS: 877k
--truTV: 259k

 

[Reaser]

-Stanley Cup Playoffs viewership Sunday-

ESPN Lightning-Panthers: 932k
ESPN Capitals-Rangers: 1.34M
espn2 Avalanche-Jets: 1.09M
ESPN Predators-Canucks: 795k

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

Weekend start boosts NHL openers; Capitals-Rangers tops slate

The first two days of the Stanley Cup Playoffs averaged a 0.53 rating and 1.03 million viewers across ESPN, TBS and truTV, up 51% in ratings and 60% in viewership from the first two days of last year’s postseason, which began on a Monday (0.35, 641K).

Capitals-Rangers Game 1 led the weekend slate with a 0.6 and 1.34 million on ESPN Sunday afternoon, marking the largest audience for a first round opener since 2021 on NBC and the highest on record on cable. The three most-watched first round openers on cable aired just this weekend. Saturday’s Maple Leafs-Bruins Game 1 placed second with a combined 0.59 and 1.14 million across TNT (0.46, 877K) and truTV (0.13, 259K), and Sunday’s high-scoring Avalanche-Jets opener on ESPN2 ranked third at a 0.55 and 1.09 million.

Huge numbers for Avs @ Jets and on ESPN2 as well

 

[Chileiceman]

Can someone explain how in a world with ever shrinking cable subscriptions, ratings for anything at all can be increasing, let alone setting records?

 

[QuizGuy66]

Curious if Avs Jets number built up as the game went on - i.e. if people tuned in mid game because they saw it was a wild goalfest

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

-Stanley Cup Playoffs viewership Sunday-

ESPN Lightning-Panthers: 932k
ESPN Capitals-Rangers: 1.34M
espn2 Avalanche-Jets: 1.09M
ESPN Predators-Canucks: 795k

Worst series got the highest rating lol.

 

[4mats4]

Can someone explain how in a world with ever shrinking cable subscriptions, ratings for anything at all can be increasing, let alone setting records?

My best guess is that the people who are cutting cable are mostly non sports watchers because virtually all RSNs require a premium cable subscription to get access. Like I have cable because I want to watch all the Rangers games on MSG and paying for cable gives me that plus all the national games so to me the purchase is justified since I watch a lot of live sports. I assume that cord cutters are mostly watching episodic TV which doesn't need to be watched live whereas sports is the last thing that's truly appointment viewing

Worst series got the highest rating lol.

The Matt Rempe effect

Also love that Jets Avalanche number on ESPN2! Hoping that series goes to 7!