Does the NHL have the right idea?
The fourth major sport only airs Games 3-7 of its championship series on network TV, likely a product of low ratings and reluctance by broadcast networks to lose up to seven nights of primetime television.
While airing the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals on cable may seem like a bad move, one that will limit exposure during the sport’s marquee event, the fact is that shifting early games to cable could help average television ratings on broadcast — if not for the NHL, then for the NBA and baseball.
Generally, ratings for Games 1 and 2 of the NBA Finals and World Series have been lower than the other games of each series. While the drop ranges from as low as 3% for the 2006 World Series (that stat is a product of Game 2 of the ’06 Series being the highest rated of the series), Games 1 and 2 of the respective championship events have drawn ratings up to 10% lower than the other games in the series in the last four years.
Eliminating Games 1 and 2, ratings for both the World Series and NBA Finals increase. The NBA Finals would have averaged a 6.8 in ’03 (4% higher than the six-game average), 12.3 in ’04 (7% higher than the five-game average), 8.7 in ’05 (6% higher than the seven-game average), and an 8.7 in ’06 (2% higher than the six-game average). The World Series would have averaged a 13.3 in ’03 (4% higher than the six-game average), a 17.0 in ’04 (8% higher than four-game average), a 12.0 in ’05 (8% higher than the four-game average), and a 10.3 in ’06 (2% higher than the five-game average).
These percentage increases may seem small, but in two leagues where ratings fall on a yearly basis, any increase is a good thing. It is highly unlikely for the NBA and baseball to shift any championship games to cable; still, the fact remains that fewer games televised means higher average ratings.
