Of the 8 teams left, which SCF matchup would be a ratings flop?

[Mav3rick07]

Worst?

Tampa Bay/Anaheim


Best?

Washington/Chicago


Pretty sure Ovechkin versus Kane, Toews and company would draw really well. Or Montreal/NYR

 

[jford]

In the US, Rangers and Blackhawks would be the best ratings draw.

Calgary and Montreal the worst.

 

[Ogrezilla]

But this is about overall ratings, right? Not just US ratings.

the thing is, a lot more Flames and Habs fans will watch other teams in the finals compared to the number of Tampa or Anaheim (or most US markets honestly) fans who will watch the Habs and Flames. But the ratings in Canada would be absolutely insane for Habs and Flames. I'm not sure how it would actually end up playing out for total numbers. The US ratings for Habs v Flames would be far worse than the Canadian ratings for Bolts v Ducks imo.

 

[Liloldadyo*]

If we are talking about overall ratings, any matchup with Calgary or Montreal will never be the worst.

Everytime a Canadian team has made the finals since 04, the rest of Canada is glued to the screen watching. Whether they are cheering for a Canadian team or hoping to god that Calgary/Edmonton/Ottawa/Vancouver isn't the first Canadian team to win a cup since 92.

Although Ottawa/Anaheim was pretty underwhelming.

 

[alg363636]

Only big hockey fans know Patches is from CT. Pretty sure the average Bostonian wouldn't recognize the name.

But Tampa-Anaheim/Minny would have the lowest ratings. Decent series though, depending on if Stamkos wakes up or not.

 

[Guido Sarducci]

Bettman has been trying for 3 decades to make Hockey a bigtime TV sport in the American market. Hasn't happened yet. Canadian TV ratings drive the bus. Always have, always will. Look at the $$$ in the last Canadian TV deal.

Calgary - Montreal by a mile.

 

[Paper]

Washington-Calgary

I don't know if it would be that bad. Maybe not the biggest markets for the teams, but when you have the best left winger in the world playing in the Stanley Cup final it's going to draw a crowd, especially since he's from Eastern USA.

 

[jacks*]

Bettman has been trying for 3 decades to make Hockey a bigtime TV sport in the American market. Hasn't happened yet. Canadian TV ratings drive the bus. Always have, always will. Look at the $$$ in the last Canadian TV deal.

Calgary - Montreal by a mile.

You nailed it.Add on top of that any real hockey fans that the U.S. have will be watching also.

 

[CHGoalie27]

It's going to be NY CHI. No worries NBC.

 

[NHL Fanatik*]

I would LOVE an Anaheim-Tampa final.

Please please please.

 

[NHL Fanatik*]

Worst?

Tampa Bay/Anaheim


Best?

Washington/Chicago


Pretty sure Ovechkin versus Kane, Toews and company would draw really well. Or Montreal/NYR

Wow... not Toews vs Backstrom, oh no, just Toews and company...

Oh how underrated Backstrom is. And it shows. Would not be better for ratings, Rangers-Chicago would be. Maybe even Rangers-Minnesota.

 

[hockeykicker]

Washington-Calgary

you have a young team in calgary vs the caps and whether this is their year finally.

fans will be watching hoping ovechkin wins it and i bet a lot of fans will be watching hoping ovechkin doesnt win it

 

[TonyTinglebone]

For people saying Montreal doesn't draw in the US take a look at the TV Ratings thread in the Business of Hockey forum. US TV numbers for the Habs/Sens games are:

Game1: Didn't see any data (maybe not on US TV?)
Game2: 289K on CNBC
Game3: 835K on NBCSN (#1 of any NHL game on this day)
Game4: 454K on USA
Game5: 228K on NBCSN
Game6: 971K on NBCSN (#1 of any first round game)

These numbers exclude in market numbers from local broadcasters but for comparison sakes of how these networks drew with all-American matchups the next highest are:

NBCSN - 719K for NYR/PIT
CNBC - 372K for WAS/NYI
USA - 542K for WAS/NYI

So Montreal/Ottawa game 6 drew 252K more than any out of market US teams. Doesn't look like the Habs would be a death blow unless there are a tonne of Sens fans in the US.

 

[Ticonderoga]

Ducks -Bolts would be the worst.

Habs -Flames would be the best, of course this is taking into consideration the Canadian market which would go just bananas.

For the US:

NY and Chicago would be the best

Habs - Flames would be the worst.

 

[KingWantsCup]

Tampa Bay - Calgary

 

[adorno]

Maybe even Rangers-Minnesota.

lol nope

 

[Pyromaniac]

Wow... not Toews vs Backstrom, oh no, just Toews and company...

Oh how underrated Backstrom is. And it shows. Would not be better for ratings, Rangers-Chicago would be. Maybe even Rangers-Minnesota.

Hawks-Caps wasn't a strong draw in the winter classic either. Stars matter less than the location of the teams involved.

 

[NHL Fanatik*]

lol nope

Why not? Hockey is massive in Minnesota...

 

[CH25]

It's going to be NY CHI. No worries NBC.

I hope it's Flames - Habs so they suffer for always ruining the schedule for us every year in the playoffs.

Seeing as Montreal draws big even in the US, I'd go with Calgary-Tampa as the worst for NBC.

 

[hockeykicker]

Hawks-Caps wasn't a strong draw in the winter classic either. Stars matter less than the location of the teams involved.

well you gotta base that off what else was on tv at that time. you had a big time college football game on between michigan st and baylor that was one of the better ones in a while, had a lot of views go there. as well as wisconsin and auburn playing at the same time, also another big draw with a lot of views going there

and of course Minnesota and Missouri were playing too, so thats a few more fans.
college football gets more views in america

 

[Addison Rae]

Chi / mon

 

[karnige]

in the us prob Tampa and the flames. in Canada Tampa and minny

 

[Pizza the Hutt]

Didn't Vancouver-Boston get the best US ratings of all-time?

Ana-Tamp for the worst.

Calgary-New York or Chicago - NY for the best.

 

[BobDobolina]

Anaheim's local ratings are among the worst in the league.

 

[Jets4Life]

Best: Chicago-Montreal

Worst: Anaheim-Tampa Bay