- The second NHL Winter Classic drew 4.4 million viewers on NBC New Year’s Day, up 17% from 3.7 million for last year’s Winter Classic, and the most viewers for a regular season NHL game since 1975. The 4.4 million viewers surpassed the 4.1 million for the Outback Bowl on ESPN, which aired the same day, and is higher than the viewership totals for 18 of the 34 college football bowl games.
- The red-hot Cleveland Cavaliers have been drawing red-hot ratings. Through last month, Cavaliers telecasts on FOX Sports Ohio averaged a 7.55 rating, “up around 40 percent from last season.” The Cavaliers’ game against the Miami Heat on December 30 drew a 10.43 rating in Cleveland, “the highest rating for a Cavs regular-season game” on FS Ohio.
- The now-eliminated San Diego Chargers saw ratings for their games increase during the regular season — in Los Angeles. Nine Chargers telecasts on KCBS averaged an 8.0 rating in Los Angeles during the regular season, up 13% from a 7.1 last year. The Chargers’ November battle against the team they lost to in the playoffs, the Pittsburgh Steelers, drew a season-high 11.2 rating on KCBS.
